Trouble
by Wohitzi
Summary: Karin breaks some interesting news to Suigetsu. Chaos ensues.
1. Chapter 1

"Guess what I found out yesterday."

Suigetsu glanced at Karin, noting the mischievous glint in her eye and the promise of trouble in her voice. He debated on whether he should respond or run away, but finally settled on urging her to continue.

"I'm pregnant," she declared bluntly, the grin never leaving her face.

"... And you're not _upset_ about that?"

"No. It'll be more trouble for you than me."

"Oh – Wait, what? How the hell is it _my_ problem?"

The grin widened, and she looked positively demonic. "Because you're the father, dumbass."

It was then that Suigetsu knew that sleeping with Karin had been a huge mistake, no matter how fantastic it had been at the time.

* * *

Author's Notes_: What's this? Suika?! Yup, that's right. I wrote a Sukia fic. It's about time, too. I claim to love this pairing, yet never do anything to show my support. Tsk Tsk. _

_Sorry if they seem OOC. I'm not used to writing these two. _

**Disclaimer: 'Naruto' and all its characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto**.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, let me get this straight; you and Karin got bored and drunk and decided to have unprotected sex, while I was being held captive by a member of the Akatsuki?"

"Yeah, that about sums it up."

"... That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I should kill you for that."

Suigetsu shrugged, completely unfazed by Sasuke's threat. Team Taka's leader had a habit of making empty threats because of annoyance or moodiness, so he had learned not to be fearful.

Sighing, Sasuke closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, so what are you doing with it? Abortion, right?"

Again, he shrugged. "I dunno. I left that decision up to Karin."

"Well, tell her she better get rid of the thing," the Uchiha ordered. "We don't need any extra burdens on this mission."

Suigetsu watched with interest as his leader turned his back, a hint of disgust and remorse passing over his face for the briefest of moments. So, not only was he opposed to pointless murder of the living- he didn't like the idea of killing the unborn, either.

Instead of commenting, however, he just nodded, then set off to find Karin.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Yeah. This drabble seems to have turned into a series. xD Please, be gentle with me for the first bit - I'm not used to writing Suigetsu or Karin or any of Teema Hebi/Taka's interactions. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	3. Chapter 3

Karin stroked her still-flat stomach lovingly, saying, "I can't get an abortion. That would completely go against my morals."

"You do dangerous experiments on innocent people, often leading to a slow, torturous death, yet you find it immoral to kill something the size of a pea in a split second?" Suigetsu asked, looking at her with new found bewilderment.

"_Don't question my logic!"_

A smirk pulled at his lips. "Since when have you ever used logic?"

Growling, she threw her fist toward his head. In the same instant, he liquefied himself, collapsing into a puddle and evading the attack.

"So you're not getting rid of it?" he asked as he re-solidified.

"Nope."

He shrugged. "Okay. You're the one who'll have to deal with a pissy Sasuke."

Karin ignored him, strutting away whilst stroking and cooing to her stomach.

"Freak," Suigetsu muttered, leaving in the opposite direction.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry if this chapter feels rushed. xP I couldn't get it to flow right. _

_Blaah. I still don't really know where I'm going with this. xD_

**Disclaimer: 'Naruto' and all its characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto.**


	4. Chapter 4

"So, you refuse to get an abortion?"

"Yep."

"... There's nothing that will change your mind?"

"Nothing."

Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes. He was sitting on a rock, elbows rested on his knees, chin supported by folded hands. The members of Team Taka held their breath, wondering if he would be angry or willing to compromise.

"Can you still fight?"

"Probably," she shrugged. "I went to a walk-in-clinic for a test, and the doctor said I was about three pregnant. I think heavy lifting and hard labour is fine at this point. I mean, I don't even have a bump yet."

He nodded. "Good. As long as it doesn't the hinder the mission, you can keep it."

Gaping, Suigetsu said, "Y-you're really gonna let that freak spawn something?"

"It's your kid, too," Karin snapped, one hand on her hip and the other protectively on her stomach. "If anything, _your_ mutated genetics are gonna cause the problems."

He scowled. "Why don't you come a little closer? I think you need a few good kicks in the stomach."

The pair continued bickering, trading insults and threats back and forth. Standing a few feet away from Sasuke, Juugo tilted his head, saying, "You know, oddly enough, I kind of saw this coming."

"Then why didn't you warn me?" Sasuke growled.

The other man shrugged, earning a sigh from his leader who then proceeded to pull apart the now-wrestling couple.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Woo! Update. :3 Sorry if I'm a bit sporadic with this fic - I'm working on a bunch of other ones at the same time. xD _

_Eeek. I get the feeling Juugo's not quite right, even though he only has one line. I'm just paranoid about writing him, since he doesn't get a lot of spotlight anywhere. :s_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	5. Chapter 5

Leaning back against a tree, Karin closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the moment of peace. The others were taking the time to go over the plan and finish preparing.

"May I sit there?"

Cracking an eye open, she saw it was only Juugo and nodded, scooting over to give him room. He seated himself, hesitating before ploughing forward with the question she knew he wanted to ask.

"What made you think you were pregnant?"

"I kept getting sick," she shrugged. "Plus, I was due for my, uh... 'womanly time'."

"'Womanly time'?" he blinked curiously.

"Yeah, you know, um... Menstruation?"

His cheeks turned the slightest bit pink. "Oh."

They were silent for a moment. An _awkward_ moment.

"Are you happy?"

"About what?"

"The pregnancy."

"Oh. I guess," she said, shrugging indifferently. "I mean, it's not really something I wanted, but I guess it's not a bad thing." Grinning devilishly, she added, "Besides, I get to torture Suigetsu."

Then she let out an evil cackle. Juugo just shook his head.

"Will you two _ever_ stop fighting?"

"Yeah - when hell freezes."

"Juugo! Karin!"

Hearing their names, the pair immediately jumped to their feet. Sasuke stood a few feet away, looking serious and deadly.

"Time to go."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Yup, another update. :3 I'm gonna try to speed things up with this story and get it finished - I have a bunch of other things I'm already working on, so I wanna get this outta the way. _

_So, yeah. Tell me what you think. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	6. Chapter 6

The invasion plan was both simple and complicated all at once.

The main objective was to eliminate all of Konoha's powerful figures – mainly the elders. Doing so would send the village into a state of insecurity and chaos, making it incredibly vulnerable. The rest would take care of itself.

The problem with this was that such important people wouldn't be left unguarded, nor would they themselves be defenceless. It required both stealth and brute force.

Which was where Karin came in. With her chakra sensing abilities she could tell exactly where the enemy was, making the stealth part a lot easier. As for brute force, the Akatsuki had offered its supply of tailed-beasts, as well as its members for the attack.

Now all they needed to do was strike.

They walked by foot to conserve energy and make their approach less obvious. Any forewarning of their attack could damage their chances at a successful mission.

The village wall was just coming into view when Karin sensed it – unfamiliar chakra, so close she quite pinpoint its location.

"Sasuke, someone's here," she said, halting as she tried to determine where the threat was. The others stopped, tense and waiting.

Then, suddenly, it was gone. Just... vanished.

Noticing her bewildered expression, Sasuke asked what was wrong.

"I-it just disappeared."

"Are you sure it wasn't just chakra leaking from one of the beasts?" he asked, looking more than a little irritated.

"Positive," she said. It would be impossible to confuse that horrendous energy for a human's.

Just as they prepared to continue, the chakra returned, more intense this time and accompanied by several other chakras, all moving straight toward them. At the same time, nausea took hold and she doubled-over, vomiting.

Then they were ambushed.

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, yeah, this was all explanation and seriousness. D: Sorry for how boring it is - the next few chapters might be like that. _

_Also, I apologize if my description of the invasion plan is inaccurate or doesn't make sense. I'm not very good with that kind of thing. xP_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	7. Chapter 7

"Alright, same thing for this one; check for internal injuries while I heal the external."

"Okay."

Warm hands pressed against Karin's forehead and the intense pain that filled it began to ebb away.

'_Where am I?'_ she wondered.

"See anything?"

"Well, there's no injury, but..."

"What?"

"She's pregnant."

"_What?_ Are you sure?"

"What the hell are you doing?" Karin croaked, forcing her eyes to open despite the pain that tore through her entire body.

She was met by the sight of a girl wearing a stethoscope around her neck, her green –eyed gaze promising injury if Karin attacked and her hair a surprising shade of pink. Beside her was another girl, this time with blue-black hair and eerie, pearly white eyes.

"Are you pregnant?" the first girl asked, ignoring her question.

"Yeah, but I don't see why it's any of your business," Karin grumbled, taking in her surroundings. A small cell, probably heavily guarded by ANBU or something.

The pink-haired female looked baffled. "You went into battle while you were _pregnant_?"

"Um, Sakura," the other girl said, "is pregnancy part of our job?"

Seeming to regain composure, Sakura shook her head. "No. We should move on to the next prisoner – this one's fine."

Then they left, and Karin was alone in the cold, dark cell.

Well, alone if you didn't count the pregnant thing.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Hyuuga's are the Narutoverse X-ray machines. xD_

_Obviously, the invasion kinda failed. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	8. Chapter 8

It seemed Suigetsu had underestimated Konoha, thinking its people were weak and defenceless and easy to slaughter.

And look where it got him - prison. Again.

This time, it was a normal prison, the kind any shinobi would be thrown in. A metal room with a bed, a toilet, and a locked door.

'Good. An easy escape,' he had thought when a pink-haired doctor and her partner finally left him alone.

But, once again, he was wrong. Not only was there skilled ANBU stationed outside his cell and down the hall, but powerful seals had been placed around him, resulting in electrocution if he even tried touching one of the walls. Plus, the cell was completely water-tight save for a few small air holes in the door, which would only allow him to leak out at a very slow and obvious trickle. He had considered using the toilet as a means of escape but, well, that was disgusting. And if he didn't mind turning into a sewer rat, it still wouldn't do much good. One of his guards had been kind enough to tell him that it emptied into a septic tank down the hall, which, unfortunately, was in a locked and guarded room.

Quite honestly, he was annoyed and impressed. The Leaf shinobi really knew how to keep their prisoners.

As he lay on his uncomfortable bed and went over his escape options, Suigetsu heard someone approaching. Moments later, the door was opening and a masked person (male, judging by his build) stepped inside.

Before he could even consider attacking, the ANBU officer was beside Suigetsu and putting a hand to his forehead. Instantly, chakra began draining from his body.

"What the hell's going on?" Suigetsu demanded, feeling his strength vanish.

"Uchiha Sasuke and all his accomplices are awaiting trial. That includes you."

Then he was cuffed, yanked to his feet, and dragged to the aforementioned trial.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Dx Sorry I took so long to update this. My computer is stupid._

_So, yes, Suigetsu and Co. are in prison, and now they're all being dragged to trial. The trial itself will probably be a few chapters, then hopefully things will get more interesting. :3_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	9. Chapter 9

As far as trials went, Sasuke's was pretty boring.

Basically everyone sat in a big room and listened while the big-chested Hokage listed off all the horrible crimes the Uchiha had committed. No one could talk, no one could leave, and the air was hot and stuffy and tense.

'_At least I can see,'_ Suigetsu thought, glancing at Sasuke, who was blindfolded, restrained and guarded by several ANBU. The situation seemed pretty hopeless, but he still stood tall and a stoic expression, silently listening to all his offences be announced to the world. Well, room.

Then, after what felt like hours but was probably only twenty-minutes, the Hokage (Tsunade? Is that what she said her name was?) asked anyone who wanted to defend the criminal in question to please step forward.

The pink-haired doctor who had treated Suigetsu's wounds got to her feet and strode to the front of the room, eyes never leaving the Uchiha.

"Introduce yourself," Tsunade ordered, not looking the least bit surprised.

"Haruno Sakura. I used to be... I'm Sasuke's teammate and friend," she said, sounding uncertain. Then, taking a deep breath and raising herself to full height, she continued in a louder, more confident voice. "I know Sasuke has done terrible things, but I think his reasoning is one we can understand, maybe even relate to. His entire family was murdered when he was only young. That probably left him feeling sad and angry and confused and, above all, _betrayed_, because his own brother was the killer."

The people in the room stirred, whispering in each other's ears with understanding nods or disapproving scowls. Sakura was unfazed and continued.

"Sasuke is an Uchiha, a prodigy, a traitor, an S-rank criminal – whatever you may call him. But he's also human, a creature whose actions are controlled by thought _and_ emotion. Maybe, if you consider that, you'll understand his choice."

Done with her speech, she returned to her seat and acted deaf to the growing volume of whispers. Her eyes had never left Sasuke's face the entire time she spoke and, while she sounded rehearsed, he words were definitely sincere.

Suigetsu grinned, sensing that there the two shared a past that he had not been told of. If all went well, maybe he could see some more drama unfold between them.

* * *

Author's Notes: _so, trial begins and Sakura is the first person to speak up for Sasuke. D You can probably guess where I stand on shipping. _

_I'm a bit uncertain about how I feel about this chapter. I think I got the right message out of Sakura's little speech, but it feels kinda stiff and emotionless to me, maybe even OOC. xP Blah. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	10. Chapter 10

The trial continued and two more people gave their defence for Sasuke's actions. The first was a grey-haired man who wore a mask over the lower half of his face and his left eye covered by his forehead protector.

"Hatake Kakashi, Sasuke's squad leader," the man introduced himself. "Like Sakura said, Sasuke's desire for revenge and reasons for leaving are understandable. I know what the pain of loss is like, and I know his method of dealing with that pain isn't healthy. That's why I think we should help him, not throw him in prison to suffer and rot. He's already had enough suffering."

Kakashi returned to his seat, and another man, younger and blonde, stood up in his place."Uzumaki Naruto. I'm his friend and teammate," as Naruto spoke, he kept an intense, steady gaze on the Uchiha. "Sasuke's an idiot – he's done stupid things and hurt a lot of people. But he's not evil or ruthless or anything like Orochimaru or Itachi. If he was, I would've died a long time ago."

Then he returned to his seat, apparently finished.

His short, blunt statement earned many murmurs and an intrigued glance from Suigetsu. It seemed there was a lot to learn about his leader.

XxXx

The rest of the trial was pretty uneventful. The big-chested Hokage asked the other members of Team Taka to give reasons why they shouldn't be executed. Karin told her she was pregnant, Suigetsu followed by saying he was the father (which, honestly, were the only reasons they could think of. It wasn't like they were remorseful of their crimes), and Juugo explained how he didn't like killing but sometimes lost control of himself and went on rampages.

Then, without another word, Tsunade dismissed them and they returned to their cells (actually, they were _dragged_ back, but that's beside the point).

And then they were left to wait, wondering what their fate in Konoha would be.

* * *

Author's Notes: _This was originally gonna be two separate chapters, but then I realized they were both pointlessly short and combined them as one. _

_So, yeah. Enjoy. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	11. Chapter 11

Karin wasn't entirely sure how long she waited, but it was definitely a long time.

Time she spent curled up by her cell's gross little toilet, prepared for the unpredictable bouts of nausea that took hold. It was amazing she could even vomit, considering how empty her stomach felt – prison food hardly enough to satisfy her growing appetite.

Pregnancy and prison sucked.

Finally, after what felt like centuries, the door to her cell squeaked open and a man entered. Before she even had time to stand up, he slapped some sort of bracelet to her wrist. It tightened, pressing closer to her skin, and then a strange sensation shot up her arm and spread through her body.

"Hey! What are you doing?" she demanded as he hauled her to her feet, still gripping her wrist.

"The Hokage wishes to see you."

She was dragged through the prison corridors, just a few feet behind Juugo and Suigetsu, both wearing the same bands on their wrists.

Sasuke was nowhere in sight.

'_He's probably in a different section of the prison,' _she reasoned.

Blindfolds were pulled over their eyes ("A safety precaution," her escort said), and they were led blindly the rest of the way. Finally, the cloth was pulled away from their eyes and they found themselves in the Hokage's office, face-to-face with Tsunade. Karin glanced around, saw Suigetsu and Juugo on either side of her and Sasuke behind her, flanked by two alert looking guards. Good – everyone accounted for.

"I've decided to grant you freedom," Tsunade said, eyeing them seriously from where she sat behind her desk, "on the condition that you wear chakra restraints, are under heavy surveillance, and tell us everything you know about the Sound."

Silence met her as the group considered her offer. Karin bit her lip. On the one hand, she had no more use for the Sound, not with Orochimaru gone and the prisoners she had guarded now free; on the other hand, this was _Konoha, _a village she wasn't particularly fond of. After all, it had been their target.

Then again, allying herself with a village she hated was better than rotting in prison.

"Alright," she said, shortly after Suigetsu and Juugo had announced their own agreement.

Now the only person left was Sasuke.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Finally, things are moving along. xP I really need to post more updates for this more often - it goes very, very slowly. But I'm lazy and don't write enough. Dx_

_Anywho, hope you enjoyed this. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	12. Chapter 12

All eyes were on the Uchiha, who stood silent, stoic, blindfolded.

Suigetsu wondered if he would really be so resentful as to spend the rest of his life in prison instead of just cooperating with the village, despite what it had done to his family. He also wondered if such a decision would land the rest of them back in prison, too.

Finally, when the air had grown sufficatingly tense, Sasuke said single, emotionless word: "Okay."

The blindfold was pulled off, his dark eyes blinking rapidly in response – obviously, he hadn't been exposed to light in a quite some time. His eyes remained a plain, clear black, not a hint of red in them.

Suigetsu wondered just how much chakra the innocent looking bands on their wrists suppressed.

The group was ushered out of the Hokage's office moments later, still surrounded by elite, alert shinobi. In the hall three familiar faces were waiting for them.

The pink-haired medic (Sakura, if he remembered correctly) strode over to Sasukem looking the Uchiha square in the eyes.

Then she slapped him, hard.

Stumbling back, he held a hand to his cheek, glaring at the girl who, oddly enough, was now smiling.

"Welcome back."

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, Imma try and update this thing more frequently, since the chapters are so short. XP Hopefully I don't get any blocks or something. _

_Umm, so, yeah, Team Taka is now living in Konoha, and Sakura will probably continue being spastic around Sasuke. _

**Disclaimer: 'Naruto' and all its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.**


	13. Chapter 13

"So, what's with the Haruno chick?"

No response.

"Is she your ex-girlfriend or something?"

Still no reply.

"'Cause she seemed pretty pissed."

Again, silence.

Finally, Suigetsu gave up on pestering the Uchiha, flopping onto the couch beside Karin. The team of four had been forced into a tiny, heavily monitored apartment. The first room was basically a dining room, living room, and kitchen all rolled into one, leading to a short hallway that connected to a bathroom and two bedrooms. They still needed to figure out sleeping arrangements.

Glancing at the girl next to him, Suigetsu frowned "You're getting fat."

With a growl, she aimed to punch his jaw, but met air as he liquefied himself. When he shifted back into solid form, there was a wet spot on the couch.

"Oh, gross!" Karin said, wrinkling her nose.

"You didn't mind when I got you wet."

"I was _drunk_."

"C'mon," she said, sliding closer to her and moving to wrap his arm around her waist. "You know you loved it."

She scooted away, swatting at his arm. "What I'd _love_ is for you to jump out that window."

Before their argument could escalate further, someone began insistently pounding at the door. Sasuke, sitting at the dining room table with his hands clasped in front of his face and his elbows rested on the wooden surface, flicked his gaze over to Suigetsu, then to the door b way of saying, "Answer it."

Obediently, the Mist ninja vaulted the back of the couch and hurried to the door, yanking it open.

Naruto and Sakura stood in the hall, both grinning widely.

"'Bout time!'" the blonde said, barging inside without waiting for invitation. "Hey, Sasuke! We're taking you to Ichiraku to celebrate your homecoming!"

The shinobi in question eyed his guest with disinterest. "No."

Sakura entered the apartment and moved to his side in record time. Glaring at him, she said, "You know, I haven't fully forgiven you yet. I might just follow your example and go for revenge. "To emphasize her point, she cracked her knuckles menacingly.

Sasuke stared at her for a moment, seeming to weigh his options. Finally, he sighed, closing his eyes and standing. "Fine."

Crying out victoriously, Naruto grabbed his arm and dragged him away, babbling the entire time. Suigetsu waited until five minutes after they left, then pulled the door open again.

"Where are you going?" Juugo and Karin asked simultaneously, one curious, the other suspicious.

He grinned. "Spying."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Yup, Team Taka is now living the simple life in Konoha. :D Aah, domestic bliss_

_I hope you enjoyed this. I'm trying to make up for the amount of serious and lack of funny in the last few chapters, though I'm not just gonna pile on random crap... Hopefully. Err... Yeah, hope you enjoyed it. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	14. Chapter 14

The trio of criminals stealthily followed Sasuke and the others through Konoha, interested by the snippets of conversation and interaction they heard and saw. It was strange to think he had ever had any form of a social life. He always seemed so silent and... Well, anti-social.

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Juugo whispered, lagging behind his two comrades. "We should respect Sasuke's privacy."

"It doesn't count as a private matter if he's out in public," Suigetsu reasoned, peeking around a corner. He ducked back, saying, "If he didn't want people knowing what he was doing, he'd stay in the privacy of his house."

"But we live in the same place as him. And why do we need to sneak around if it's public business?"

"Juugo, please, don't question your leader – just follow him."

Karin scoffed. "Who agreed to you being the leader?"

"It's _my_ ideaso _I'm_ leading!"

She rolled her eyes, but said nothing. Miracle of miracles, she actually didn't want to argue with him.

Peeking around the corner again, Suigetsu nodded to them, then darted out, running down the street at top speed. The others followed close behind, and they soon arrived at a small ramen shop. Loud, boisterous laughter could be heard from inside.

"Okay, we stay out here and listen," he said, plopping down on the sidewalk outside the building. The others shrugged and followed suit.

"To Sasuke, for getting his ass dragged back home!" a voice that was unmistakably Naruto's cheered. Loud slurping followed soon after.

"Ew! Naruto, do you have to eat the whole thing in one mouthful?" Sakura asked disgustedly.

Ignoring her disapproval, he shouted, "Hey, eat your noodles, quick! Otherwise the toast is void!"

A sigh, then compliant slurping.

"I _am_ glad you're back, Sasuke," the girl said after a moment, apparently finished with her food. "But I'm still pissed at you. Honestly, leaving me on a bench? Trying to kill Naruto? Invading – Hey! Are you even listening to me?"

"... Someone's eavesdropping."

Suigetsu stiffened. Impossible! There was no way he could sense them – they're chakras where already completely suppressed.

The Uchiha stepped outside, glaring at the trio. "Of all the people to give away their chakra signature, I never would've expected you, Karin."

"Wha-? I don't _have_ any chakra, thanks to this stupid bracelet!" she yelled, pointing to the black band on her wrist. "What are you talking about?"

"It's not you," Sakura said, joining Sasuke outside the shop. "It's the baby. It messes with your chakra system – sometimes it has its own chakra signature, but usually it just replicates your own."

"Wait," Karin said, looking down at her slightly bulging belly. "You mean _this _is why I messed up during the invasion?"

"Probably."

"Arrgh!" she screamed, pulling at her hair in frustration and anger. Then she turned on Suigetsu, tackling him with flailing fists. "_This is all your fault!"_

Naruto stepped outside just then, glancing around at the group. "... Do you guys still want your food?"

* * *

Author's Notes: _More update! D Explanation and (hopefully) funny stuffs. Enjoy!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	15. Chapter 15

The two groups joined to have lunch together. With seven people, they took up most of the seats at the counter of Ichiraku, a feat that seemed to please the owner.

"So, what was Sasuke like before we met him?" Suigetsu asked between mouthfuls of ramen.

"Still a jerk," Naruto said, hungrily watching the others eat, having already spent his small amount of money. "I mean, he was so obsessed with revenge that he was willing to betray everyone."

The man in question said nothing, looking only slightly annoyed that he was being talked about as though not even there.

"Speaking of which," Sakura said, turning from her food to look at the Uchiha, "What made you decide to ally yourself with Konoha again?"

"I didn't have much of a choice."

She frowned, clearly hoping for a different response, but said nothing more.

The group continued talking and eating, and Suigetsu was interested by how the former teammates interacted. Even with Sasuke's closed off, silent demeanour, he could sense a strong bond between them.

And the Haruno girl – she was especially interesting, going from sweet to murderous at the drop of a hat. He wasn't an expert on feelings or relationships or anything, but he got the impression the girl had some mixed emotions when it came to the Sasuke.

When the group finally finished eating and went their separate ways, Suigetsu had a firm goal in mind: learn as much about the Uchiha and his past as possible.

XxXx

The apartment was impossibly quiet.

Juugo had gone to the hospital for testing so the medical specialist could try and determine a way to control his rampages, and Sasuke had been dragged off by his old teammates again, giving the others a serious death threat should they dare following him.

It was odd, how empty the apartment seemed when the two most not-talkative people left.

Over a week had passed since they were granted freedom, and things were proving to be incredibly uninteresting. There was nothing to do, nowhere to go, and interrogators kept showing up at random times. They would ask dozens of questions about the Sound and Orochimaru, then disappear as quickly and unexpectedly as they came. Suigetsu assumed it was their way of surprising them into telling the truth and making it harder for the four to remember how they answered a particular question previously, but that didn't make it any less annoying.

Lying on the couch with a hand rested on her slowly growing stomach, Karin, whined, "I am _so_ bored. There's nothing to do in this place! And I'm _starving_, and this stupid baby is gonna make me outgrow all my clothes!"

"What'dya want me to do about it?" Suigetsu snapped, seated at the tiny dining room table, carving senseless images into its wooden surface with a butter knife.

"I dunno! Go back in time and convince yourself not to jump in the sack – er, bushes – with me!"

He smirked, pointed teeth showing. "Sorry, it's a non-refundable deal. You lost your chance when you refused the abortion."

"Well, at least give me something to do!" When he opened his mouth to respond, she added, "Something that does _not_ involve having sex with you."

Rolling his eyes, he said, "Relax, once was enough."

"So what did you have in mind?"

"I'm thinkin' we learn a little more about our dear leader."

"_No_!" Sasuke said he's kill us if we spied on him again!"

His eyes glinted mischievously, toothy grin back in place. "Who said anything about spying?"

She eyed him warily. "I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?"

"Only one way to find out."

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, originally, this was two separate chapters. But then I realized both were very pointless, so instead of having two short, pointless chapters, you get one slightly longer pointless chapter. D_

_On another note, why the hell is this focusing so much on Sasuke? Dx I need to turn that back into a side plot and put the focus on Suika again. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	16. Chapter 16

Suigetsu and Karin approached a grey-haired man sitting on a bench, his head buried in a novel, a pleased blush covering what was visible of his masked face. Not sparing them a glance, he asked, "What do you two want?"

"We'd like to ask you a few questions," the Mist ninja said, trying to sound authoritative.

Kakashi glanced at them over his book, eyeing their wrists. Seeing that the black bands were still in place, he sighed, setting down his dirty novel and saying, "Alright, make it quick."

"You were the leader of Sasuke's team, right?"

"Yes."

"So you know the nature of his relationships with his comrades?"

He raised his visible eyebrow. "Is that all you want to know?"

"It's a serious question!" Karin said in an unreasonably defensive tone.

"At the same time, Suigetsu crossed his arms and scowled. "Don't question my question, just answer it!"

Another sigh, then he plunged into the explanation. "Naruto and Sasuke had a... complicated relationship. They were best friends, close like brothers, and would protect each other with their lives. At the same time, they were fierce rivals and constantly fought to prove who was stronger. Sometimes it was hard to tell if they were going to hug or stab each other."

"Sorta like sibling rivalry?" Karin asked.

"Yes, exactly."

"What about the pink-haired chick?" Suigetsu pried impatiently, eager to learn the details of their relationship. "Things seem weird between them."

"Sakura has always admired Sasuke... she, like many other girls, idolized him and strived for his approval and affections. At first it was just a shallow crush, and she focused more on appearances and Sasuke than being a ninja-"

"So she was useless?" Karin cut in.

Her ally raised an eyebrow. "You're one to talk."

"I do stuff!"

"Yeah, fawn of Sasuke."

Her face reddened, contorting in anger. "You little-"

"Back on topic," Kakashi said, distracting them from their argument, "she _used_ to fawn over Sasuke and stand on the sidelines in battle. Eventually, she grew up, matured... Learned how to balance her crush and responsibilities as a kunoichi, spending more time training and less playing damsel in distress. In any case, I think she knew Sasuke better than any of us – she was the first to realize when he was going to leave the village, and the first to try to stop him. "

"What about Sasuke?" Karin, who had pouted jealously throughout the short story, asked hopefully.

Taking a moment to think, the masked man chose his words carefully. "He... cares about her, the way he does for any of his teammates, but the extent of his feelings are... hard to judge. He's too closed off for anything to be clear."

Frowning thoughtfully, Suigetsu took a moment ponder this information. Sasuke had been close to Naruto and Sakura – that much was obvious. They now knew that Sasuke and the blonde had been like brothers, and that medic held him in high regard and had strong feelings for him. All-in-all, a nice bit of progress.

As they left the man to his book, Karin rubbed at her stomach, whining, "I'm _starving_! Can we get something to eat?"

"Sure. Ramen?"

"No, idiot! Sasuke's probably at the ramen shop. He'll kill us if he thinks we followed him!"

"_Good_ food," she said, already taking the lead.

XxXx

Later, they stood in front of a restaurant that was definitely fancier and higher quality than the ramen shop they had become accustomed to. In the front window, a large, painted picture of a steaming pizza tempted passerby, offering a glimpse at what the establishment could offer.

"This place looks good."

"It looks _expensive."_

Karin rolled her eyes, entering the restaurant. "Relax. I'm the one paying."

"And how are you doing that?" Suigetsu asked, following close behind.

Pulling her wallet out of her pocket, she held it open for him to see. At his wide eyes, she smirked, took out the money she needed, and stuffed the rest back in her pocket.

"Where did you get all that?"

"Since we're convicted criminals and can't get work, we're given a cheque from the government every month. This is my share of the first," she said, shrugging. "You didn't know?"

"No! Where's my money?"

"On the counter in an envelope with your name on it."

"Alright, when we get home, I'm taking that money and buying myself something nice."

"If you say so – it's yours to waste."

A nervous looking waitress came over just then, leading them to a table by a large window. The girl was obviously new, fidgeting with her uniform and clutching a little notepad, stuttering as she asked for their order.

Karin didn't even bother with the menu. "I'd like a pizza with anchovies, pickles, and olives. Be light on the cheese and heavy with the sauce."

When the waitress faltered, she frowned.

"You _do_ serve pizza here, right? Or is the giant picture on the front window supposed to be misleading?"

"I-I'll get your order right away!"

When the girl had scurried away, Suigetsu raised an eyebrow at his comrade. "Snappy, aren't we?"

"I'm hungry and she's stupid!" she barked, scowling. "It's a bad combination."

"Okay, jeez," he grumbled, turning his gaze to his artfully folded napkin. Then, seeming to realize something, he blinked, eyes widening in surprise. "Wait... _Anchovies?_"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

"Well, aside from what you combined them with, look at me" – he gestured to his body in all its water-like glory –"I'm practically a fish myself!"

She snorted, crossing her arms. "Being made of water doesn't make you a fish."

"No, but it makes me closely connected to them!"

"So pick off the anchovies or don't eat. It's not _my_ problem."

"There is _no_ way I can eat that pizza, anchovies or not. The toppings are ridiculous."

"Well I'm pregnant!" she huffed. ""Pregnant people tend to eat strange things."

"Fine. You have your weirdness, I'm goin' home," he declared, rising to his feet and moving to leave.

Karin's fingers latched onto his arm, her face a mask of possessive fury. "Sit your ass down!"

Suddenly, the whole room was staring.

"You made me like this," she continued ranting, gesturing to her growing stomach with her free hand, "you're not gonna abandon me because of it! If it weren't for you and your stupid ideas, I wouldn't be fat, or hungry, or having _crazy mood swings_! So sit down, shut up, and let me eat in peace!"

Suigetsu complied, shrinking into his seat. Without chakra or weapons, he didn't want to incite the wrath of Karin's hormone induced rage.

The meal was long, quiet, and awkward.

* * *

Author's Notes:_ I made it longer. 8D And I'm starting to steer things back toward Suika/baby now, rather than focusing completely on Sasuke. _

_So... Thoughts? Sorry if I did the pregnant!cravings and mood swings completely wrong. .  
_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	17. Chapter 17

Karin lay in her bed, staring up at that ceiling boredly. She and Juugo (who, as it turned out, was her bunkmate. She would've preferred Sasuke, but the Uchiha was still wary of her affections for him, and she much preferred sharing with the gentle-giant than Suigetsu) were alone in the apartment together. The team's leader was... somewhere, and Suigetsu was out trying to dig up more dirt on him.

Not-so-secretly, Karin hoped Sasuke would have to carry out his death threat.

As it was, she and Juugo were alone, and it was both boring and terrifying. Boring because he was so quiet and timid, frightening because... well, he was _Juugo_, the psycho killing-machine. He may not want to hurt people, but he certainly would if something made him snap.

His assurance that having no chakra made killing difficult did little to comfort her. What was she, a pregnant, defenceless woman supposed to do if she was attacked by a _huge_ rampaging maniac?

Chakra stirred in her stomach, making her very aware of her child's presence. It had been weeks since they first moved into the apartment, but she had lost track of how long the baby had been growing inside her – she had stopped counting while in prison.

Placing a hand on her ever-growing stomach, she asked, "Are you as bored as I am?"

The only response she received was the chakra spiking, then dwindling into nothingness. Then a hungry rumble.

She sighed. At least the nausea had stopped.

Rising from her bed, she plodded down the hall to the kitchen/dining/living room, stopping in front of the fridge. Pulling it open, she chewed her lip as she thought about what she wanted to eat, the hum of the refrigerator accompanying her thoughts.

It was empty. Totally, completely empty.

Fuming, she slammed the door and stomped back to her room, ignoring Juugo's concerned, "Is something wrong?" Snatching her still-bulging purse off of her dresser, she returned to the main room and bolted out the door.

"Gone shopping," she barked before the door closed, blocking her view of the confused man.

Hurrying down the street, she marvelled at how incompetent her comrades-turned-roommates were. Honestly, _no one_ had gone shopping? Where did they think food came from?

"Men," she grumbled, perhaps a bit loudly judging by the startled look a passing couple gave her. It seemed even _Sasuke_, who had always seemed so perfect and even god-like, wasn't excused from the faults of his gender.

Which was why the world needed people like her (_women_) to make sure things got done and no one fell apart.

So why was _Suigetsu_ at the market, bartering with a merchant over pickles?

Marching over, she put her hands on her hips and glared as she demanded, "What are _you_ doing here?"

"The fridge's empty. We need food," he said, not sparing her a glance as he stared down the merchant, refusing to pay any more than his current offer,

Karin sputtered, bewildered. He was getting _groceries?_ He was doing something _useful_? But, but... He was supposed to be a lazy dumbass that sat around and did nothing! _She_ was the stable, smart, productive provider of the family (did she just call Team Taka family?), not him!

"But... You're supposed to be useless! I'm the one who does all the work!"

"Fine by me," he said, taking the jar of pickles he had successfully bought and shoving it along with the rest of his purchases into her arms. "But that means you have to carry everything, now."

Oh, so he was just going to _abandon_ her? Leave her, pregnant and tired and stressed and hungry to take care of everything while he did his stupid spying? Did he not care about anyone else but himself?

"No! Get back here!" she yelled, stomping a foot childishly. She had every right to be immature!

Turning back toward her, he walked over with a roll of his eyes, taking some groceries to lighten her load. "Geez, you're spastic lately. Help, don't help, help – make up your mind!"

"I'll make up my mind when you stop being an ass!"

She then stomped away, earning an annoyed sigh from Suigetsu.

They walked most of the way home in silence, the girl too busy seething to strike up a conversation (or, really, argument, since that was all they ever seemed to do), and the boy to afraid of triggering another rampage to speak. However, that didn't stop him from staring at her bulging belly with a frown.

Noticing his accusing gaze, Karin snapped, "It's your fault I'm like this, so quit staring at me like I'm some sort of freak!"

"Well, you are a freak," he said, quickly ducking the punch she threw in retaliation, "But that's not why I was staring."

"Oh? What's the reason, then?"

"I was just wondering what you're gonna do with it. When it's born, I mean."

Faltering, she bit her lip. Truthfully, she hadn't thought of such things at all, never mind how important such a decision was. She knew it would be born and someone would have to take care of it, but the fact that it might be _her_ doing the caretaking never really sank in.

Changing diapers, feeding it, bathing it, dealing with its constant crying...

"I think I'll go for adoption," she declared after a moment. "The whole 'mother' thing really isn't something I look forward to."

"Good, 'cause I sure as hell wasn't gonna father it."

She rolled her. Men were so useless.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry for the delay. School and minor writer's block makes it hard to keep up with updates. xP But, now that I have a bit of a plot basis to go off of for the next while, updating shouldn't be too hard. ._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	18. Chapter 18

Finding someone to adopt the child of convicted felons was easier said than done.

After all, who would want to be interviewed by a mass killer and a woman who had worked closely with Orochimaru? Even with the chakra suppressers, people were terrified of them, a fact that both flattered and annoyed Suigetsu.

Honestly – was _everyone_ in Konoha a coward?

"So, you called every number?" Karin asked, looking over his shoulder at the list of phone numbers for adoption agencies. They were all slashed through like the conquered foes in a bingo book.

Sighing, Suigetsu nodded, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "Yup. And every one of them either hung-up or flat-out refused to associate themselves with criminals."

"Well, you didn't have to _tell_ them!"

"Yeah I did! They need our legal names, and I don't think we should add fraud to our list of crimes."

Groaning, she turned and walked with slow, heavy steps into the living room, slumping onto the couch. "This is impossible! We're the most unfit parents in the _world_, but no one wants to take our kid from us."

"Just call them back," Sakura suggested. She and Naruto had been visiting quite often, though she had begun coming over on her own more and more often – a fact that didn't go unnoticed by Suigetsu. "If you're persistent and explain your situation kindly, I'm sure you'll be able to convince someone to work with you."

"Alright," Suigetsu agreed doubtfully, redialling the last phone number and waiting.

"H-hello?"

"Hey, I-" he quickly bit his tongue, holding back a threat. That wasn't going to help at the moment. "I'm guessing you had some... technical difficulties. I got cut off. So, can you set me up with someone?"

"W-well, I... I don't-"

"'Cause, I mean, I'd hate to drag an infant into my criminal lifestyle," he continued, baiting the man. "It'd be a total pain to have it whining while I'm maiming my victims and going on-"

"I'll see if we have a spot open," the man cut in quickly. Turning pages rustled in the background as he checked his schedule, looking for an empty slot. "W-we're available on the 18th starting at 1:00. You c-can come then."

"Excellent," Suigetsu said with a grin, then promptly hung up and turned to Sakura. Pointing at her, he declared, "I like you."

Karin snorted, crossing her arms. Still a little sore about the girl's obviously close relationship with Sasuke, she tended to get annoyed and envious if someone – _anyone _– complimented the pink-haired medic.

At the same time, Sasuke sent him a brief, subtle glare. This only caused the Mist ninja's grin to widen.

Oblivious to either reaction, Sakura smiled and said, "Well, I like you, too. For a mass murderer, you're pretty nice."

More glaring followed this revelation.

"So, we have an appointment?" Karin asked, rubbing her round belly and trying to ignore Sakura's existence.

"Yup. On the 18th, we're finding someone else to dump our little bundle of joy on."

"If only I could get rid of it as soon as I found the parents," she said with a pout. "I hate being fat!"

"I wouldn't be so hasty. Now that you're pregnant, you'll always have a friend – no matter how much of a loser you are!"

He barely finished his sentence before having to duck the lamp she hurled at him.

As the pair exploded into a fight, Sakura turned to Sasuke, saying, "I still think they're crazy about each other."

"Or just crazy."

"Well, yeah. That too."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Yay! Update! I hope you guys like it. . Sorry if it's too short - I'm trying my best to lengthen them. _

_Anywho, hope you enjoy it!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	19. Chapter 19

"P-please, check through the list and te-tell me if anyone catches your eye."

"There's gotta be a thousand pages in this thing!" Suigetsu whined, flipping through the papers.

"You don't have to go through all of them. Just enough to find the right person," Sakura said. She had agreed to accompany the pair in hopes of calming the fearful man working with them. For the most part, it seemed to be affective.

"What about these guys?" Karin asked, pointing to a picture of a middle aged couple.

"Nah, they look like wimps. I want my son to have tough parents."

"Who says it's a boy?"

"Who says it isn't?"

"How about this one?" Sakura asked, pointing to a random couple in hopes of stopping the looming argument.

Glancing over, Karin wrinkled her nose. "Too old."

"But they're only forty," Karin countered, reading the information beneath the photo.

"Yeah, and they'll be fifty by the time the kid is ten."

Reaching over, Suigetsu dragged the book closer to himself and began flipping through the pages. "Too old, too young, too gross, too wimpy, too perfect, too-"

"Would you stop?" Karin snapped, slamming his hands against the table to prevent him from continuing.

"Ow! Jeeze, not so hard! For a delicate pregnant woman, you sure are violent."

"Why don't you try thinking of characteristics you _want_," Sakura intervened again. Gesturing to the man who was supposed to work them, she said, "Maybe he can help you find the right people."

"Someone who's not too weak," Suigetsu said, nursing his sore knuckles. "And who won't traumatize the kid with their ugliness. Think the opposite of Karin."

Shooting him a glare, the kunoichi added, "Not too old or young. 25 to 30 - no less, no more."

"I-I think I can find someone," the man said, glancing at the irritable pair nervously. Flipping through the ages, he took a minute to skim over each person's info, then continue searching. Finally, he stopped, pushing the book closer to the couple. "Would th-this be alright?"

There was a picture of a smiling man and woman, arms locked lovingly around each other. Their names were printed beneath image – Kokan Choja and Chizu – as well as their ages – 27 and 29. The man was an ex-shinobi who now worked as a local butcher and the woman owned and operated a small grocer.

They were perfect.

"Looks good to me," Suigetsu shrugged and Karin nodded in agreement.

With that, it was settled. All that was left was signing a few legal documents and setting up an interview with the couple. Then they would be free – sort of. They still had to wait until the baby was actually delivered, but just the thought of getting rid of it was a weight lifted.

"Yes!" Karin whooped on the way home, punching her fist in the air.

Watching the other girl cheer victoriously, Sakura frowned slightly, saying, "Don't you think you'll be a little upset when it's gone? I mean, it'd be hard to let go of something that's been with you for so long."

"No way! Being pregnant is _miserable_, and I can't wait 'til it's over."

"I dunno..." Suigetsu said, rubbing his chin in mock ponder. "You might miss having a friend who can't see or hear or smell you."

As he ducked the fist Karin threw his way, Sakura rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Do you _enjoy_ having your life threatened?"

"Nah," he said, grinning. "She's just hilarious when she's pissed."

"You wanna know what I think?"

"Shoot."

"I think you're emotionally detached and cruel because you went through a lot of shitty stuff in your life and are afraid of being betrayed or hurt again."

"... I think what you think is over-analytical bullcrap and that I may have to kill you if you go all therapist on my ass."

She shrugged, holding out her hands defensively. "Hey, I'm just making an observation."

"Well don't waste your breath," Karin advised, arms crossed over her chest. "The only answer you'll get is that he's a natural born asshole."

"Yeah, and _you're_ a natural born bi-"

"Look at that!" Sakura cut in a little too loudly, stopping yet another oncoming argument. "Back at the apartment already! I'm gonna head in and, um... make supper."

Rolling her eyes, the pregnant teen breezed past the other kunoichi, calling over her shoulder, "Cut the act – everyone knows you're just trying to get in Sasuke's pants."

Sakura stiffened for the briefest moment, relaxing again so quickly anyone without the trained eyes of a ninja would have missed it. "Sasuke and I are just friends."

Suigetsu just grinned and followed them into the apartment.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry for lameness or potential inaccuracy. I have no idea how this stuff works. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.**


	20. Chapter 20

Normally, Suigetsu was someone who loved water in all its forms (except maybe ice or snow – way to cold). A lake or a puddle, a hot shower or a cool rainstorm – it was all the same, all wonderful, all a part of him.

But this was just ridiculous.

"I'm gonna drown," Karin whined, staring out the rain-streaked window sadly. "This stupid village is gonna flood and I'm gonna die pregnant."

For once, he had no smart-ass comment for her. He was just as miserable, and that combined with being alone together for hours took the fun out of teasing. The others had found ways to occupy their time quite easily – Juugo was visiting Naruto ("He's not afraid of my outbursts at all") and Sakura had convinced Sasuke to go over to her place ("I'm always at your apartment – we need to go somewhere different for a change!"). Though, honestly, Suigetsu was certain there was more to it than that. They probably wanted more privacy or something.

Which left him and Karin, alone together and bored out of their skulls. Three days of rain could do that to anyone.

A crash sounded, accompanied by blinding light and making his companion leap away from the window, stumbling back onto the couch. Suigetsu merely watched the light fade, muttering, "Great, now it's thundering."

"I hate lightning. Why is our window so huge? We need to cover the mirrors. We're on the top floor, aren't we? Oh god, I'm gonna get struck by lightning – no, I'm gonna _drown_, then I'll get struck."

Listening to her babble and watching her hug her knees to her chest (or try to – the stomach got in the way a bit), he raised an eyebrow. "Are... Are you _scared of lightning?_"

Her nod earned a bout of laughter. "Shut up!" she shrieked. "I spent most of my life in underground bases; I didn't see or hear storms very often!"

"You call yourself a ninja and you're _scared of lightning_?"

"It's three million volts shooting down from the sky at unpredictable intervals. Of _course_ I'm scared!"

Then she started crying. No, scratch that – it was more like hysterically bawling her eyes out.

"H-hey," Suigetsu soother awkwardly, unsure how to handle such a situation. He took a few steps closer. "C'mon, it's not that bad."

Cautiously, he sat down on the couch, only to have her fling her arms around him seconds later, clinging to him desperately as though he were a life preserver.

"Whoa!"He exclaimed, arms raised slightly away from her, body tensing. Recovering a moment later, he struggled to pry her off, grunting. "C'mon, Karin. Quit being such a pansy."

Lightning flashed again. Her grip tightened as she whimpered pathetically and buried her face in his chest. "Please, just let me stay like this until it passes."

Suigetsu's mind was having trouble processing what was happening. Karin, the girl who hated him as much as he hated her, was _begging_ to hug him because she was... _scared_ of _lightning_? It was mind boggling – sure, she was a total weakling, but he never thought she would be _this_ wussy and pathetic.

With a sigh, he nodded reluctantly. Why waste his energy fighting with someone about being a pansy? Besides, it might make for good blackmail opportunity.

"Wait... You're made of _water_," Karin said, pulling away and sending him a fearful glance. "You conduct electricity. Oh God, I'm gonna die. You're gonna get me killed. You _planned_ this, didn't you? You-"

"Karin!" he snapped, grabbing the finger she had been jabbing into his chest accusingly. "Stop. We're going to be fine, no one is going to die, and if I _do_ get struck by lightning, you won't take any of the damage."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope you die."

She punched him in the gut, earning a small 'oof!' Then another flash filled the room and she was back to clinging, eyes squeezed shut as though it would make the storm go away.

Suigetsu sighed. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Author's Notes: _This chapter was somewhat entertaining to write. xD Sorry if there's a lot of typos, though. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	21. Chapter 21

Suigetsu felt unusually heavy.

Eyes still closed, he shifted in an attempt to rid himself of the weight. Something soft and warm moved a little off his lap, but still didn't go away completely. With an annoyed growl, he tried shoving it off, thinking it was a very odd pillow.

It whimpered in protest, grip tightening on him.

Pillows didn't whimper or cling.

Forcing tired eyes to open, he blinked away the blur of sleep and tried to decipher the object resting against his chest. Slowly, the bright red hair, less-revealing-than-usual clothes, and bulging belly came into focus.

_Karin_.

It took him a moment to figure out what the hell had happened. All he knew was that she was snuggled up to him, glasses askew on her face, his _own_ arms wrapped around her and the terrifying thought that he had gotten drunk and slept with her _again_ bouncing around inside his head.

Then his mind caught up with him and he remembered – Karin had been frightened by a thunderstorm.

Gingerly, he pushed her away, careful not to wake her as he convinced her sleeping arms to snuggle a pillow instead of his torso. If she woke up to the way they currently were she probably wouldn't have much patience for explanations, and he preferred to start his day off with minimal bloodshed.

Only after he had gently rearranged Karin's limbs on the couch did he noticed someone watching him.

Sitting in the armchair across from the sofa, Sasuke had his head propped up with one fist, elbow on the armrest, his expression both brooding and curious. He wore the same clothes from the day before.

"Have fun at Sakura's last night?" Suigetsu asked, grinning. He doubted the Uchiha would actually tell him anything, but it couldn't hurt to ask.

"I could ask you the same about Karin."

Wrinkling his nose, he scoffed. "As if. She's just a coward – I mean, she's scared of _thunder._"

"You already got her pregnant," Sasuke pointed out.

"That was" - he paused, thinking for a moment. "Wait... Why do _you_ care? Last time I checked, man-to-man chats weren't really your thing. "

"I'm merely curious about how my comrades are spending their time while we're off of missions."

"Well, there's nothing to be curious about. Karin's just pathetic."

His assurance was met with a silent, concentrating stare, dark eyes boring into Suigetsu as his leader seemed to try picking apart his mind. After a tense, uncomfortable moment, Sasuke nodded and got to his feet, heading toward the bathroom.

"Weird," the Mist ninja muttered when the other was out of earshot.

Shifting on the couch beside him, Karin mumbled something unintelligible. Her glasses had fallen to the floor, and she was nuzzling the pillow affectionately, smiling.

"Bet you're dreaming about me," he said, smirking.

"You wish."

Stiffening, he watched as her eyes squinted open, red irises even more shocking without the barrier of lenses. For a moment, she just lay there peacefully, staring at him with tired, heavy lidded eyes.

Then her foot lashed out, clipping him in the chin.

"Don't call me pathetic," she mumbled, drifting back to sleep with a broad smile as he cursed and rubbed his bruising chin.

She was reasonably pissed when she woke up an hour later to discover her glasses had been thrown out the window.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Not much going on in this chapter. xP Mostly just Sasuke taking on the unfamiliar role of matchmaker/ someone-who-sees-the-relationship-which-the-people-involved-are-blind-to. Or something. _

_The contents of the next chapter should be relatively easy to predict. xD_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	22. Chapter 22

"You're the hugest asshole I've ever met, you know that?" Karin reminded her companion for the fiftieth time that day as she tried on a pair of wireframes. "Do you know how much it costs to get a prescription and new frames? _A lot_."

Suigetsu rolled his eyes, leaning against the wall. "Why should I care? I don't even know why you dragged me out here."

"To make sure I don't leave looking like an idiot! Also, I want you to see firsthand how expensive these things are so you can't complain when we split the cost."

"_What?_ I am _not_ giving you my money!"

Returning the wireframes back on the rack and putting on a different pair, she said, "Should've considered the consequences before you broke my old ones." Then, pursing her lips thoughtfully, she studied herself in the mirror, examining the glasses at different angles. "How do these look?"

He shrugged. "Just find something that fits your face so we can leave."

"Ugh! Quit whiny and help me find the right pair – things'll go faster if you cooperate."

"Why don't you just get glasses the same as before?"

"Because, I wanna try something _different_!" she explained, unreasonably exasperated.

"Fine. Stick to thick rims; wireframes look stupid."

"There," she said, smiling as she put back the pair she had been testing, "that didn't hurt, did it?"

"Oh, trust me. I'm dying on the inside."

Ignoring the comment, she resumed her search. Examining bright blue frames, she asked, "Do you think these would be good?"

"No," Suigetsu said, wrinkling his nose. "Stick to black or red. Maybe white."

Obediently, she put the frames back and grabbed a pair of white ones. "Like this?"

"Yeah, perfect. Let's go."

Checking them in the mirror to make sure he wasn't lying (he wasn't – they actually did look great), Karin nodded and headed for the cashier. Taking off the glasses and squinting at the price tag, she was unable to suppress a wicked grin.

"Nice work, dumbass. You just agreed to pay for one of the most expensive pairs in the store."

"What?" he swiped the item in question from her hands, looked at the price, and balked. "No way, I'm _not_ paying that!"

"Too late," she said in a singsong voice, snatching back the glasses and giving it to the waiting cashier.

As the woman rang in their purchase, she glanced at Karin's stomach and smiled. "Aw, you're pregnant? What is it – boy or girl?"

"Who cares?" Suigetsu snapped, glaring at his companion.

Cheerful demeanour not wavering the slightest, she asked, "How long have you been together? Are you married yet?"

"Never and never," Karin snorted. "I got knocked up, nothing more to it."

"Well, you should consider yourself lucky," Suigetsu said. "Probably the only time a guy will sleep with you." Digging out his wallet, he tossed it on the counter and turned to leave. "Buy your crap – I'll be outside."

Smile weakening slightly, the woman glanced from his retreating back to the pregnant girl in front of her. "Well, you know what they say about a guy pulliung a girl's pigtails."

"There's a difference between pulling pigtails and tearing the girl's scalp off," Karin retorted, glaring at Suigetsu's wallet. Then, slowly, a grin found its way to her face. "Say, you couldn't help me make a few more purchases, could you?"

XxXx

What took you so long?" Suigetsu demanded when she finally stepped outside.

"I decided I should get a few back-up pairs in case you break one again," she replied. Handing him the receipt, she continued walking, smiling as she listened to him sputter and curse over the price.

* * *

Author's Notes: _'Kay, really sorry for how crappy and rushed this is. x.x I was having difficulties with writing this week for some reason. Hopefully the next one will be better. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	23. Chapter 23

"So, you seriously haven't gone for a single check-up?"

"No."

Sakura shook her head in disbelief. "You're lucky things seem okay so far. I mean, five months is a long time – the baby could've been suffering inside you."

Karin shrugged, squinting up at the ultrasound image. "I still don't see it."

"Most people can't," Sakura said, sliding the scanner across the other girl's rounded stomach. "Wanna know if it's a boy or girl?"

"Sure. Who cares?"

Continuing to adjust the piece of equipment in her hand, she studied the monitor carefully. After a moment, she smiled and said, "Congratulations – it's a girl!"

"How can you tell?" the red-eyed girl asked, still trying to decipher the mass of grey and white.

"Lots of training," she shrugged. Setting aside her equipment, she gestured for her patient to sit up. "Alright, let's look at things in the chakra department."

Wiping off the cool jelly substance she had smeared on Karin's abdomen, Sakura placed a bare hand on it. Focusing her chakra a bit, she used to it to feel around. A spike of chakra greeted her intrusion, untrained and unfamiliar. Concentrating, she tried to determine the nature of the energy.

"It definitely feels like ninja's chakra," she said, smiling a little at the way the child's energy responded to hers. "A civilian's would be much weaker."

Karin snorted, crossing her arms. "I think I know the difference between shinobi and civilian chakra."

"Well, it's harder to tell when the chakra's inside you," she said defensively. "I just thought you might like to know."

They fell into silence, Sakura writing information on a chart, Karin scowling up at the slow moving clock. She could hear the patients passing through the halls, complaining about pins and being pushed in wheelchairs, doctors and nurses chatting amiably as they walked by. The whole place was white or pastel, scented with antiseptic.

"So, how often do I have to come here?"

"Every month or so, and anytime you feel there might be something wrong," Sakura said, hand returning to her patient's stomach.

"Great," she sighed, slumping.

"Sit straight."

Grumbling, she corrected her posture and resumed her watch on the clock. A moment later, she felt something smack against the inside wall of her stomach.

"It kicked!" Sakura said, beaming at the other girl. "I felt her kick!"

Karin only winced as the tiny foot pounded against her again.

"Hey there," the doctor began cooing, caressing the pregnant girl's stomach. "You're awfully energetic, aren't you?"

"What are you doing?" Karin snapped, listening as Sakura continued speaking to the unborn child.

"You've never talked to your baby before?"

"_No!_ Why would I?"

"So she learns your voice."

"Why does my voice matter? She's being _adopted!_"

A strange silence fell over the room, something in the air feeling heavy and said. Sakura stepped away, turning her back as she checked her chart and told Karin her appointment was finished. The redhead stared at her with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

"What are you so upset about?"

"I just don't understand how you can throw your child away do carelessly," Sakura said with a shake of her head.

"I never wanted it in the first place, in case you've forgotten."

"It's still a part of you," she murmured, looking over her shoulder at the other girl. "Now, if you would please leave, I have other patients to take care of."

Obediently, she slid off the bed and stalked out of the room. But even as she told herself Sakura was being nosy and obnoxious, the other girl's words nagged at her thoughts, insistent and leaving a strange taste in her mouth.

* * *

Author's Notes: _so, uh, I realized Karin hasn't actually gone to the doctor, and decided I should probably fix that. xP The writing feels a bit rushed and choppy, so sorry if it's not that great. Hopefully it's still an enjoyable chapter. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	24. Chapter 24

"That was weird," Karin said as she and Suigetsu headed home, having just finished their interview with their child's potential adoptive parents.

"I thought it was fine."

"You're not the one who had strangers talking to your stomach," she snapped, rubbing the bulge under her shirt that had gotten more attention than she would've liked. The baby kicked in response.

"You okay?" Suigetsu asked, noticing her wince.

"Yeah, this stupid thing just keeps kicking."

"Ooh, let me feel!" he said excitedly, already extending a hand.

"_No_," she swatted his hand away. "I've had plenty of that already."

"But I'm the father – doesn't that give me special permission?"

"No, it means you're the jackass who got me knocked-up," she grumbled. "Since when do you care, anyway?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. Feeling something try to kick its way through your stomach just seems kinda neat."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "How thoughtful of you."

At that moment they reached the apartment building. Climbing the many flights of stairs, Karin panted and cursed the sac of extra weight hanging from her stomach, annoyed at how pathetically immobile it made her. Ninjas were supposed to have good stamina and be physically fit, not get tired from simple, everyday exercise!

"So how were they?" Juugo asked when his comrade walked into their shared apartment, referring to the potential parents that had interviewed. He sat at the kitchen table with Naruto, playing a game of cards (it looked like it was 'Go Fish', but he was still intently focused).

"Terrible," Karin groaned, plopping down on the couch. "I hate them."

Suigetsu shot her a bewildered look. "You _hate_ them for feeling your stomach?"

"No."

"Well, why then?"

"I dunno, I just... _don't._ I get a weird feeling about them."

"But we're still giving the baby to them... right?"

Chewing her lip, she stared down at her stomach, rubbing it with both hands. The thought of giving her child to those people caused a flare of protective anger to shoot through her, and something told her she should trust her instincts. Moms knew best, after all, even if they were unashamedly selfish criminals.

"I... I dunno."

"Well, where are we supposed to find new parents? Those ones were hard enough!"

She shrugged. "We'll figure something out."

"I'll take it!" Naruto offered excitedly, picking up another card from the pile.

"Yeah, right," Karin sneered. "And it'll live off of ramen and stupidity for the rest of its life."

Pouting, he mumbled, "I'm not that bad..."

Juugo, for his part, looked sincerely confused, glancing between the reluctant parents. "I don't understand – why can't you keep the baby?"

"Because we're the most unfit parents in the world," Suigetsu snorted as he plopped down on the couch beside Karin.

"You sound like you know what's best for it, though."

"Doesn't mean we're it," Karin said, swatting away Suigetsu's hand as he reached for her stomach.

"Well, _I_ think you'd be good parents," Naruto said, frowning as Juugo guessed yet another right card. "A little traumatically violent, but definitely not the worst."

"Who asked for your advice, oh mighty genius in the art of childcare?" she snapped, suddenly very angry. This was _her_ baby – they couldn't tell her what was best for it!

"Hey, I'm just saying it – don't throw it away so carelessly. Being an orphan is hard."

'_I just don't understand how you can throw away your child so carelessly... It's still a part of you.'_

Shaking her head at the familiar sentence, she wondered why everyone was so adamant about telling her not to 'throw away her child'. People gave kids up for adoption all the time - it wasn't like it was a crime or something! Wordlessly getting to her feet, she stalked down the hall and slammed the door to her room. The three men stared after her curiously.

"What's with her?" Naruto asked.

Shrugging, Suigetsu said, "Probably hormones or something."

Mutely, Juugo got out of his seat, ignoring his friend's cries of "Hey, what about the game? We're not finished yet!" and following the direction Karin had taken. Pausing outside the bedroom they shared, he hesitated before knocking on the door.

"Go away!" her muffled voice yelled.

"Karin," he started, uncertain. "I don't know much about people, but I don't think you want to get rid of this baby as badly as you say you do."

Something smashed against the door (an alarm clock, by the sound of it), followed by more demands to be left alone.

"I think you're scared," he continued, undeterred by her angry outburst. "And I think that's a good thing – you have to care if you're going to be afraid. Just... don't give into your fear too easily. Believe me, you'll regret it."

There was no response. Sighing, he returned to his card game with Naruto, leaving Karin alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Uggh. I'm not pleased with how these updates are turning out lately. xP I dunno, the story feels like it's gone down hill. Somehow too dragged out without actually having enough happen. Or something. Hopefully you guys are still enjoying it, though._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	25. Chapter 25

Another week had passed. Standing in her room, shirtless (the door was barricaded, so she didn't need to worry about unwanted visitors), Karin examined her stomach with a pout.

"Why do you have to make things so complicated?" she whined.

A rough kick was the baby's only response.

"You shouldn't be so violent with me, you know. I'm-"

Someone banged on the door. "Who are you talking to?" she heard Suigetsu's voice call.

"My stomach."

The doorknob turned, but the door itself didn't budge. Her dresser was doing its job well.

"I'm not dressed," she said by way of explanation.

"Nothing I haven't already seen – let me in!"

Sighing, she obediently pushed the dresser out of the way (a difficult task with new found pathetic weakness), allowing him to enter the room. Taking one look at her, he scoffed and said, "You're dressed, you liar."

"A bra hardly counts as dressed."

"A bra _and_ pants – you've even got socks on!"

Rolling her eyes, she sat on the end of her bed, crossing her arms. "What do you want, anyway?"

He shrugged. "Isn't a dad allowed to wanna talk to his son?"

"I already _told_ you – it's a girl!"

"I'll believe that when I see it."

"Whatever. Just get your chit-chat bonding stuff over with so I can get back to moping."

"Really," he asked, clearly surprised. "You're actually gonna let me talk to it?"

"If it'll get you to quit nagging me."

"Sweet!" he grinned, at her side in seconds, bending down and cooing nonsense to her stomach.

Watching him with equal parts amusement and disturbance, Karin raised an eyebrow and said, "Wow. You just jump into the role of weirdo dad, don't you?"

"Kids are like pets," he said, poking her bulge, "except even more trainable. And smarter, too, I guess." Taking his attention off their unborn child for a moment, he looked up at her, seeming to contemplate. "Are you... really thinking of keeping it?"

She shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "I dunno. Naruto, Sakura, and Juugo seem to think it's a good idea. Personally, I think they're nuts. Seriously, who in their right mind would think _we're_ good parents?"

"Well, we might not be so bad. I mean, all we really have to worry about it keeping it alive, right?"

Narrowing her eyes at him, she asked, "Whose side are you on?"

"I dunno – you're not exactly decisive about this, either."

She smacked him upside the head. "Shut up! I'm entitled to confusion."

The side of his face – which had splattered at the strike – slowly began to solidify, making his amused expression disturbingly lopsided. "Well, I'm entitled to the opinion that we'd make decent parents."

"And I'm entitled to think you're an idiot. I mean, look at you! The whole head-melting thing is bound to traumatize any kid."

"So's your face."

She smacked him again, but this time he was better prepared for it. Laughter shook his body even though his head was half liquefied. "C'mon, you had that one coming."

Karin didn't respond. She was turned away from him, holding her head in her hands. Frowning, Suigetsu grabbed her shoulder. "Hey, what – Wait... Are you _crying_?"

Her only response was to shrug of his hand and hide her face again.

"Oh, for the love of... You're _crying_ over a stupid little insult?"

"No," she choked, shaking her head. "I just don't know what to do. I don't _want_ to be a mother, but I don't feel right giving those people my baby. And now everyone's telling me to keep it, when none of them had a problem with adoption before, and I just don't know who to listen to anymore." Shooting him a glare, she added, "And you're not helping, Mr. I-don't-wanna-be-a-dad-now-let-me-talk-to-your-stomach!"

Muttering a curse, Suigetsu bit his lip, trying to think of a way to console the still-babbling girl. Telling her to shut up and quit acting like such a baby certainly wouldn't work this time. What had Sakura said the other day when she was rambling about pregnancies...?

"Counselling!" he exclaimed, earning a curious glare from Karin. Realizing this required more explanation, he said, "A lot of pregnant women go see a counsellor or something when they're not sure what to do. Sakura could probably hook us up with someone."

Sniffling, she seemed to consider the idea. Giving a small nod, she murmured, "I guess that could work..."

"Great. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go somewhere else," Suigetsu said, getting off the bed. Before she could respond, he hurried out of them door, not wanting to risk anymore waterworks.

* * *

Author's Notes:_ Yay for a chapter I'm happy with! =D Sorry if Karin seems a bit OOC, though. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	26. Chapter 26

Sitting on an uncomfortable chair in a quiet, white waiting room, Karin stared blankly u at the ceiling. Beside her, Suigetsu was flipping through a magazine, pretending to be interested in the articles, tapping his foot in an impatient manner that only served to annoy his companion even more.

Someone _had_ to call them soon. How long had they been waiting, anyway? Karin glanced at the clock and did some quick math – thirteen minutes. It felt like an hour.

"Remind me why" – a slap on the arm reminded Suigetsu to lower his voice – "why _I_ had to come here?"

"Because choosing what to do with a baby is _both_ parents' decision, not just the mom's."

"But you're the only one who's confused."

"Yeah, but we have to come to an agreement together."

Sighing, he slumped back in his chair. "Why do we bother making appointments for this stuff? It always takes forever anyway."

""It's only been fifteen minutes, and we'd _never_ get in if they didn't know to expect us."

"Then why bother coming on time?"

"Because we don't know how late things will be."

Mumbling something about not paying for tardiness, Suigetsu sank lower into his chair and pouted. It was a laughable sight, but Karin bit her tongue – something about the place didn't seem to invite humour.

Another hour long minute passed before they were called in. The office they entered was a little less bland and depressing than the waiting room, with personal touches scattered throughout. The chairs their counsellor instructed them to sit on were more comfortable to sit on, too.

"What problems are you having, exactly," the man (Mr. Takahashi, according to Sakura) asked, folding his hands together on his desk.

"Uh, I don't know what to do with the baby. Isn't that kind of obvious?" Karin said, scrutinizing the man behind the desk, wondering if this was a farce.

"Perhaps I should've worded my question better," he apologized, friendly demeanour unwavering. "What are you confused about?"

"The fact that I don't want the baby and hate all the potential adopters."

"And you?" the doctor asked, turning his gaze to Suigetsu.

The accidental father shrugged. "The only problem I have is her not being able to decide."

Nodding, he turned his attention back to Karin. "Why don't you like the 'potential parents'?"

"I dunno... I just don't. They give me a bad feeling."

"And they touch her stomach too much," Suigetsu snickered, earning a swat on the arm.

"It's not uncommon for a woman to feel maternal toward her child during pregnancy," Mr. Takahashi said. "Most mothers wouldn't want to give their child away to strangers."

"So... I'm just being a paranoid mom?"

"Protective would be a better term, but yes. Now, why don't we discuss the reason you don't want to keep your child?"

"She thinks we're unfit parents," Suigetsu supplied.

Shooting him a glare, Karin snapped, "I can answer for myself!" To the doctor, she said, "Uh, yeah. He's right."

"And what exactly makes you unfit? Are you financially or physically or mentally unstable?"

"No to the first, not sure what you mean by the second or third."

"Do you have a mental or physical disability," he clarified. "Because, even if you do, plenty of parents-"

"No! We don't. We're healthy."

"So... What seems to be the issue?"

"I just..." she hesitated, trying to think of a proper way to explain it. "I don't think I'm cut out for parenting. I hate kids, I'm violent, and I have no patience. Plus, we share an apartment with a murderous psychopath."

Belatedly, she wondered if maybe certain issues should've been left unsaid.

But Mr. Takahashi only offered a small smile. "Many mothers feel that way – except maybe about the violent part. Don't worry; parenting is skill you gain through experience, as is patience and self control. As for the roommate... You should probably report them. Or move somewhere else."

"Nah, Juugo's cool," Suigetsu said, waving a hand dismissively. "She's over-exaggerating. Sorta."

"So, what do you think I should do?" Karin asked, thinking over his words. "Keep it?"

"I can't make that decision for you. I can only help you get to the root of your worries."

"Well, what was the point of coming here?" she growled, instantly annoyed. She had wasted twenty minutes and still had to figure everything out!

"You understand your problems better now, don't you?"

Karin huffed, already out of her chair and stalking toward the door, barking for Suigetsu to follow.

"Thanks for the advice," the Mist ninja said, lagging behind despite his companion's orders. "She'll learn to appreciate it... eventually. Maybe."

"I know her type," the doctor said, smiling. "You seem to handle her well, though. You two must have a lot of fun together."

"Fun, right," he snorted, heading for the door. "Guess I need to redefine that word."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry for the delay and if this chapter is in anyway unrealistic or crappy. Writer's block struck with an ron fist. xP_

_But, I've gotten one of my other fics finished, and another close to being done, so soon I'll be able to give this my full attention and hopefully finish it up soon. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	27. Chapter 27

"I'm keeping it... I'm not keeping it... I'm keeping it... I'm not keeping it..."

The blue petal drifted to the ground, landing in the middle of the many other scatter ones. A single petal still clung to the stem in her hand, which Karin tore off without uttering the message it gave her. She tossed the stem on the growing pile at her feet.

Three flowers, same verdict.

"The whole world is nuts," she groaned, flopping back on her bed.

Obviously, this decision making tactic was not to be trusted. Nor was flipping a coin (though, she was convinced Naruto had somehow rigged the coin she was using. Seven out of ten times? That had to be impossible), and she couldn't exactly play rock-paper-scissors with her unborn child.

Well, maybe one more flower wouldn't hurt...

Sitting up, she snatched a daisy from the vase at her bedside and began plucking petals.

"I'm not keeping it... I'm keeping it... I'm not keeping it!" she cheered. Finally – an answer that made sense!

Then she glanced down at the pile of stems and realized the word of one flower didn't hold much weight against that of three others.

Sighing, she let the remnants of the daisy fall to the floor. Onto another method, then.

But what other way was there?

Lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling, she ran through the possibilities and wracked her brain for ideas. Nothing plausible came to mind, and the different scents of the torn up flowers scattered across her floor were starting to make her nauseas.

'_Maybe a quick walk will clear my head.'_

It had been a while since took a walk – the stares and questions she kept getting were more than a little a annoying, and it was tiring to lug around the weight of her ever-growing stomach. But she felt stiff and restless after almost a week of being cramped up in doors, and she needed to clear her head in order to come to a decision about the baby; she was going into her sixth month of pregnancy, which meant time was quickly running out.

"Where are you going?" Juugo asked as she passed through the kitchen/dining/living room. He was sitting on the couch, reading a book. The two of them were the only ones in the apartment.

"Out for a walk," she said, plopping down on the floor and trying to put her shoes on – it was becoming one of those awkward tasks.

"Let me help."

A moment later he was kneeling in front of her, taking her shoe from her hand and gently trying to wiggle it onto her foot. It made Karin feel like an incapable child.

"So..." she said, trying to think of a topic as Juugo reached for her other shoe. "Has Sakura been able to help you?"

She didn't need to elaborate – he nodded enthusiastically, smiling as he said, "She gave me special pills. They're experimental, but they seem to be working fine. Though, she said they aren't 100% reliable – personal control is still important."

"Well, that's good, she said, watching him neatly lace up her shoe. "At least you have some help besides Sasuke, now."

He finished with her shoes and stood, offering a hand to help her up. Accepting it, she found herself thanking him (she didn't often show gratitude) and feeling sincerely happy about his progress in fighting the monster within him.

He only smiled a little, saying, "I wouldn't want either of you getting hurt.

Exiting the apartment, Karin decided it was very strange to be referred to as plural.

It was nice outside, the bright sun shining while the occasional cool breeze kept things from becoming hellishly hot. The only downside was that everyone else seemed to think it was a good idea to go outside, too. Especially little kids.

Despite the crowding and the noise, her walk was pleasant. Even if she didn't achieve enlightenment or find the answer to all of life's problems, she did manage to calm her mind and think a little clearer.

Not wanting to head back just yet, Karin took a seat on a park bench a few blocks away from the apartment building. The only thing to look at there was a bunch of kids on a play set, but she wasn't in the mood to complain (amazingly).

They were playing some form of tag, from what she could understand. One kid was on the ground with a store bought forehead protector (the kind that had a plastic plate instead of a metal one) pulled down over his eyes. The others stood on the piece of play equipment, trying to stay out of the other child's reach, though sometimes one would be daring enough to jump down to his level.

"Sand ninja!" one kid called tauntingly, standing a few feet away from the blindfolded player. He had obviously intended to run away, but tripped over his own feet instead. The 'sand ninja' tapped him on the shoulder.

"You're it!"

Surprisingly, she enjoyed herself. The children were loud and obnoxious asked too many questions, but at the same time highly amusing with their antics and unusual logic. It occurred to her that she had never actually dealt with kids before – not outside the Sound, anyway. Those kids were kidnapped and abused and bitter toward the world, so they probably weren't a very accurate example of the average child.

But these kids were nice – they argued and whined and seemed to have an affinity for getting dirty, yet they still somehow managed to be likeable. Maybe it was because they were so innocent and careless in a way most older people never were. Maybe it was just her weird pregnant hormones talking.

Whatever the reason, she watched them play for three hours, feeling lighter and much more clear headed when she finally headed back to the apartment.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Not sure how much I like how this chapter turned out. Hope you guys still enjoy it. _

_Just a few more chapters left._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	28. Chapter 28

"You like her."

Suigetsu looked up from his bowl of ramen, noodles hanging from his mouth. Slurping and swallowing, he asked, "Who?"

"Who the hell do you think?"

"Karin?" he guessed, wrinkling his nose. "Why would I like _her?"_

"I dunno," Naruto said, shrugging, "but you obviously do."

"No, I don't. You're just crazy."

"If you don't like her," he started, pointing at him accusingly with his chopsticks, "then why do you spend so much time with her?"

Holding up one hand, he ticked off the reasons on his fingers. "We're teammates, roommates, and she's pregnant with my child. Plus, it's fun to make her angry."

"That's the other thing; why bother dealing with the baby _together_? If you want it and she doesn't, can't you just keep it for yourself?"

Opening his mouth, he paused, closed it, and was silent for a moment. The idea of taking sole custody of the child had never occurred to him before, but when he actually thought about it, it seemed like a plausible idea. After all, one criminal parent couldn't be any worse than two, right?

Though, the prospect of fathering a child was daunting – it was even more frightening to think of doing so _alone_. At least with Karin he would only have to take half the blame when the kid turned out completely screwed up. Plus, taking care of it himself meant it would be an unending job – if he wanted to do something, the kid had to come along to or he would have to find someone else willing to take care of what was most likely going to be a pintsized demon. That was not an idea he liked.

To answer the blonde's question, he said, "I'd never thought of that, actually. Though, I don't think it's a plan I'll ever go through with – too much responsibility."

"Well..." Naruto started, searching his mind for more evidence. "Well, what about when Sasuke found you two cuddling on the couch!"

He grinned triumphantly at Suigetsu's shocked expression.

"I was just-! Wait... He _told_ you about that?"

"Well, yeah, but only after I dragged it out of him." Then, playfully stern, he added, "Don't change the subject!"

"You wasted you breath," Suigetsu said, recovering from his surprise and leaning back, arms crossed. "Nothing happened. She was freaked out by a thunderstorm, I comforted her so she would shut up, we fell asleep."

"I'm talking about what happened _after_ you woke up."

"Wha-? Nothing happened!"

"Not how Sasuke tells it!" Naruto teased in a sing-song voice, still grinning. "And I doubt he made it up."

"Well, whatever he told you, it doesn't mean anything," he insisted, turning back to his now-cold ramen.

"Sure," he said, drawing out the word, "you keep telling yourself that."

They ate in silence for a while, Suigetsu picking at his unappetizingly cold food, Naruto shovelling in his own. Slurping and the noise of chopsticks against bowls were the only sounds the pair made.

Finally, Naruto leaned back in his chair, finished. Looking over at his friend, who continued to poke at his noodles, he asked, "So... You really wanna keep it?"

"What?" he asked, glancing from the blonde to his food. "My ramen?"

"No," his friend snorted, rolling his eyes, "the baby."

"Oh... Yeah, I guess."

"You _guess?_"

"Well," Suigetsu started, seeming to choose his words carefully, "I think I like the _idea_ of having a kid – you know; someone you can teach to be however you want, someone you can goof around with..."

"But..." Naruto pressed, sensing there was more to the issue.

He sighed, leaning against the countertop. "But I'm also _responsible_ for it. If I mess up, I mess up. I can't go back and fix it..." Then, gripping his head in his hands and shaking it, he growled, ""Uggh. What the hell am I saying? I'm supposed to be a merciless assassin."

Chuckling, he said, "Trust me – if that Uchiha bastard be can be a mess of self-contradictions, you can have a soft-spot for kids."

The Mist ninja remained silent. His only response was to slide his bowl of ramen closer to the blonde, who promptly inhaled it.

Chewing a mouthful of noodles, Naruto offered him a slap on the back, saying, "Don't worry so much! Tons of people messed up with me, and look how I turned out!"

Suigetsu only managed a weak smile.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Too tired to make a comment on this chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	29. Chapter 29

When Karin got back from her trip to the park, Juugo had disappeared into their room to sleep and Sasuke was washing to dishes (a _very_ strange sight). Suigetsu was still out with Naruto.

Entering the apartment and flopping onto the couch (she didn't bother with her shoes), she asked, "Have fun with the pink-haired tramp?"

He didn't deem that with a response. Not immediately, anyway.

Instead, he spoke several minutes later, when he had finished washing the dishes and begun the task of drying them. However, his reply wasn't one she had expected.

"I thought you had grown out of that phase."

Propping herself up on her elbows, Karin peered at him over the back of the couch. "What phase?"

"The one where you like me," he said, voice free of annoyance or cockiness. It was odd, being confronted by someone so calm and apathetic – like getting an intervention from a computer.

"I never-"

"Don't bother. It was quite obvious, despite your attempts to keep it secret."

Slumping back on the couch, she tried to hide her face, knowing by the feel of her burning cheeks that her face was bright red. Had she really been that obvious?

'_You practically sat on his lap within a minute of meeting him!'_ a voice in her mind reminded her harshly.

Well, who could blame her? Sasuke was every girl's dream – smart, strong, mature, handsome; the whole package. It was hard to believe there was a girl in the world who _didn't_ like him.

Which, really, meant she had good reason to be so forward with her affections. How else would she earn his love and attention?

"Well, what makes you think I'd give up so easily?" she demanded, though kept her face hidden. Determined or not, she didn't want him to see her still-red face.

"It wouldn't be giving up."

"Oh? What would it be then?" If she was standing, her hands would be on her hips.

Sasuke dried the last plate slowly and methodically before stacking it in the cupboard with the others. Pulling the plug in the sink, he watched the soapy water swirl down the drain, speaking over the noise. "I thought maybe you had realized I'm a waste of time. There are better people out there."

He didn't say it like someone who thought lowly of himself or overly-well of her. He stated it as a fact, as if telling her his birth-date or the colour of the walls.

"What about Sakura?" Karin asked, sitting upright with a scowl. "What makes her so special, huh?"

He took a while to respond again, a habit that did nothing to calm her temper.

"Sakura... won't listen to common sense. No matter what I say, she's determined to stay with me. It doesn't matter what horrible crimes I've committed, she just... holds on tighter every time I push her away," he explained in starts and stops, slow and uncertain. After a brief moment of hesitation, he added, "And, as much as I try to deny it, her feelings are... mutual."

"So, what?" Karin demanded, her jaw set in a frown and eyes glaring. "If I'm stubborn enough, you'll give up trying to push _me _away_?"_

"No."

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" she screeched. Hearing Juugo stir in the other room, she lowered her voice to a hiss. "Why does she get you so easily?"

"I'd hardly call it easy," he responded, surprisingly fast. Something new had entered his tone: self-loathing. "I shot her down cruelly, called her weak and annoying, then ran away when I found myself becoming attached. I almost killed her when Team 7 found me. Then they finally get me back to the village and I open up to our feelings" – he let out a bitter laugh, now standing at the window and scowling down at Konoha – "only to make the whole village angered and shun her for associating with a criminal." Turning his glare on Karin, he snapped, "You call that _easy?_"

The redhead was at a loss for words. Another envy-driven accusation died in her throat as she realized it would be a wasted effort. Her heart pounded and her cheeks burned, but for a very different reason than before, her mind chanting '_It's not fair! It's not fair! It's not fair!'_ while also whispering '_Do you really want to ruin what they worked so hard for? His small shred of happiness?'_

Inside, the baby squirmed, landing a painful kick somewhere near her belly-button.

"I'm no good for you or anyone else," he continued, once again facing the window. His calm demeanour seemed to have returned. "You should focus your attention on someone better for you, instead."

She itched to give him a witty retort, but none came to mind (at least, none that would have any effect on him). So she kept quiet, getting off the couch and heading to her room. Flopping on her bed, shoes still on, she let the sound of Juugo's snores block out the Uchiha's words, which continued to echo in her head.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Sorry if Sasuke is OOc. I did my best to keep him in character, but he just refused to co-operate. _

_Anywho, hope you enjoy. _

**Disclaimer I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	30. Chapter 30

The next few weeks were completely uneventful. Karin did her best to avoid Sasuke and Sakura, her mind still repeating what the former had said to her. She was torn between embarrassment (how could she be so _stupid_?), fury (how _dare_ he be so cruel and insensitive!), and envy (Why was_ Sakura_ so special and awesome and important?).

Eventually, she just stayed in her room 24/7 – not because of Sasuke or Sakura, though. Her stomach was growing bigger, she found herself more and more tired, and, really, where did she have to _go?_ It was easier just to stay in bed.

Plus, ordering Suigetsu around proved to be incredibly entertaining.

"Suigetsu!" she called, voice rebounding down the hall. She waited for a silent moment, frowned, and tried again. "_Suigetsu!"_

Footsteps pounded down the hallway, the door flew open, and her reluctant servant glared at her. "What now?"

With a fake, sweet smile, she held out an empty bowl. "Could you get me more ice cream? This time with chocolate syrup and sprinkles – but no pink or green ones."

"That's your third bowl," he grumbled, though approached nevertheless, taking the dish from her hand. "And I'm _not_ picking out your sprinkles."

Huffing, she crossed her arms and pouted as she said, "Fine! Make me miserable in my time of need."

"You're pregnant, not dying," he said with a roll of his eyes, turning to the door. When he reached the hall way, he paused, seeming to contemplate something, before facing her again. "Speaking of which – have you decided what you're going to do?"

"Actually, yes," she said, needing no elaboration. Being mostly secluded in her room had given her a lot of time to think about her options and the advice everyone had given her.

Of course, she had tried to avoid the issue at first (these were big questions to ask – it would take a lot of work to resolve them properly), but there was always something that turned her thoughts toward the subject. Usually the baby itself.

The main thing she found herself asking was "Do I _want_ to give the baby away?" It was a hugely difficult issue – she had a lot to consider and very little patience to do so. However, after an internal war and a lot of whining to her stomach, she reached a conclusion: yes and no.

Yes because it was easy. It was easy to just give the baby away to someone else, to not have to worry about it or be responsible for it. Once the baby was in another family's arms, she could go back to being Karin instead of turning into Mother.

No because she had a surprisingly strong maternal instinct. As much as she dreaded the idea of having to raise a child, she felt as though she was the only person _capable_ of doing so properly. She had known it the longest – it was a part of her now, and it seemed wrong to just sever that connection.

Of course, that wasn't her final decision since... well, she couldn't exactly choose both. Instead, she decided to leave it up to Suigetsu.

"So..." the shinobi in question pressed, clearly caught off guard by Karin's unusually long silence. "What did you decided?"

"That depends – what did _you_ decide?"

"I dunno – I was leaving it up to you."

"And now _I'm _leaving it up to you," she said through gritted teeth, forcing a smile. "Now choose."

"But-"

"_Now._"

"Okay!' he snapped, hands raised defensively in the air. With an annoyed growl, he crossed his arms and glared at the wall on his right. "I... Kinda wanna keep it."

"Alright then. It's settled."

His gaze jolted over to meet hers, fast enough to cause whiplash. "What?"

"We're keeping it,"

"Really?" she nodded. "Just like that?" Again, she nodded. "You're serious?"

"_Yes_!" she growled, her short patience running out. "But if you keep asking I might be tempted to change my mind!"

"Alright, alright. I'll shut up now," he said, hands held palm-out in front of him. He was unable to contain his grin.

"Good," she nodded, flopping back against her pillows. "Now, get me some ice cream."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Early update is early. =D Hopefully it's decent._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	31. Chapter 31

Another storm rolled in during the eighth month. Seasons had changed by then, so it was much more severe - a high level hurricane rather than an average thunderstorm. Wind shook the buildings and rain flowed like rivers down the streets. The power went out at one point, and at about the same time Karin decided to leave the solitude of her bedroom.

"I thought we lived in the Leaf village," she whimpered, curled up on the couch with a pillow hugged to a chest (well, as much as she could – the size of her stomach made things difficult). "This weather is like the Rain village!"

Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "If you're so freaked out, why don't you play cards with us?"

"How the hell will that help?"

"Distraction," he explained simply, tossing a card into the pile on the floor. Everyone – Sasuke, Sakura, Juugo, Naruto, and Suigetsu – was crammed into the tiny apartment, sitting in a circle and waiting out the storm. Candles sat on every available surface, filling the room with dim, flickering light.

"I don't want a stupid distraction," Karin growled, fists tightening on her pillow. "I want this stupid storm to go away so I can get some peace!"

"Suit yourself."

The wind chose that moment to howl especially loud, seeming to make the entire building sway with its strength. Rain pounded against the window, so hard and relentless Karin feared the glass might break. Somewhere down below, a branch snapped from a tree, loud as a firecracker.

Darting off the couch, Karin squeezed into the circle and clung to the nearest arm. "Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!"

The arm she held turned to liquid, seeping between her fingers and repairing itself an instant later, free from her grasp. Grinning, Suigetsu said, "I take it you've changed your mind."

"No! I just- I..." she stammered, cheeks reddening and back straightening indignantly.

"Do you need your big, strong teammate to protect you?" he teased, flexing one arm. His mutations allowed him to inflate his muscles to triple their size, something he was smirking smugly at three seconds before Karin wacked him across the face with her pillow.

"You wish, asshole!"

"Could you two please stop fighting?" Juugo asked, enormous hands crushing his cards in a white-knuckled grip. The storm was making him edgy, despite the support of the medication he took.

"Alright," Suigetsu sighed, letting his arm shrink back to regular size, "whatever you say, fun-wrecker."

"Can we get on with the game, now?" Naruto grumbled impatiently. "I've got the prefect move but can't do anything until you guys shut up and decide who is and isn't playing."

"_I'm_ not playing," Karin stubbornly refused, crossing her arms. "I just came over here because... because it's more out-of-the-way from the window!"

Snickering, Suigetsu muttered, "Scaredy-cat."

His comment was greeted with another smack from the pillow, along with a shriek of "Asshole!"

Ignoring the chaos that continued on the other side of the group, Naruto beamed excitedly as he held up his card for everyone to see. "Alright! So I've got-"

A hulking mass darted across the circle, so fast they had no chance to register what was happening. In less than a second, Juugo had his hands were crushing Karin's windpipe, his face contorted with rage and bloodlust. Despite her inability to breathe, she fought against him as hard she could, fists pounding his chest ineffectively. As the horror of suffocation set in, gripping her harder than Juugo's hands, a million thoughts flooded her mind.

Was this really how she, Karin, and skilled and feared ally of the legendary Orochimaru, was going to die? So pathetically, at the hands of the gentlest serial killer she had ever met? What would people say about her? "Well liked and trusted by the ninjas of the Sound, but hated by her prisoners, pathetically weak, and knocked-up in Konoha at the time of her death."

She didn't want to be remembered that way. And she didn't want to die, period – not now, when she was starting to settle in and get used to an average, boring life. Not after she had decided this was a baby she was going to keep and do her best not to ruin.

Not when she was more than a laboratory lackey. Not when she actually had _friends_.

Then the murderous form of Juugo was hauled off of her and oxygen filled her lungs in painful, instinctive gasps. The still-dim-and-fuzzy world swirled around her in dizzying confusion, a mess of sights and sounds and searing pain and insistent shaking. Someone had grabbed her by the shoulders and started jostling her, commanding between curses, "Wake up! Quite being such a pathetic wuss and _wake up_!"

Despite the harsh words, he (the tone of voice proved it was a guy, though she was too light headed from near-death by suffocation to place his name) sounded incredibly concerned.

The pain pulsating through her (specifically in her abdominal and pelvic area) intensified, the world spinning and blurring and fading out of focus all over again, to the point that she wondered if Juugo had attacked again.

"Shit, the baby!" someone, a female (Sakura – she was the only other woman in the room, right?) shouted. The hands at her shoulders were shoved away, another pair coming to rest at her stomach, familiar chakra frantically feeling its way inside.

Then she blacked out.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Ooh, drama. =o_

_ Hope you guys enjoy this chapter - it was kinda hard to write, on account of having to figure out if physical trauma such as suffocation could trigger early birth. But I think t worked out pretty well. =D_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	32. Chapter 32

When Karin came to, she found herself in an unfamiliar, antiseptic scented room divided by a white curtain and filled with a never-ending, ear-splitting shriek. The window to the left of her bed revealed that it was early in the morning, the first rays of blinding sunshine bathing the village in its warmth.

Also, her stomach hurt, there was an IV jabbed into her arm, and Suigetsu was slumped in a chair beside her bed, snoring.

"What the hell is that _noise?_" Karin groaned by way of greeting, lifting her IV-free hand to her pounding forehead.

Something was missing.

The realization came slowly, taking a moment to fully register in her brain. And even when it did, it still didn't make sense – how could she be missing something? She had nothing lose.

Yet, there was definitely something out of place; everything seemed far too still, too empty. The screams from the other side of the curtain persisted, making it impossible to concentrate.

"Good god, would you _shut up?_" she snapped, attacking the curtain with a glare and a swat.

Or trying to. She quickly discovered that sharp movements sent a searing pain through her abdomen, and decided it was a better idea to just lay still and endure the migraine-inducing noise.

Meanwhile, Suigetsu had jolted awake and was now on his feet, heavy-lidded gaze searching the room for a threat.

"Relax," Karin said, too tired to bother insulting his paranoia. "It's just me."

Recognizing his comrade, he sighed and slumped back in the chair, rubbing tiredly his face. "You're up?"

"No shit."

A small smile tugged at his lips as he leaned the left side of his face against his palm. "Never thought I'd miss you're annoying insults... Good to have you back."

"Back? What are you-"

Memories started trickling in – the storm, the card game, Juugo going berserk – answering her questions for her. Well, most of them.

"What is that _noise_?" she asked instead. The screaming continued, though a bit quieter now – it was more like a sobbing whine. "And why does my stomach hurt so much?"

"You're sharing a room with new parents. They haven't quite figured out how to shut their kid up, yet," Suigetsu supplied helpfully, hands clasped behind his head as he leaned back in his chair. Then, nodding toward her stomach, he added, "_You_ just recently had a C-section."

"A C...?"But that's for-! That means..."

Grinning widely, he said, "The baby's in an incubator if you wanna see her. I took the liberty of naming her, since you were unconscious."

"Oh no..." she groaned. "Can you save it for later? I'm already trying to cope with the fact that I'm a mom..." Pausing, she stiffened, eyes widening as the weight of her statement sunk in. "I'm a mom. _I'm_ a _mom_. Is that even _legal?_"

Rolling his eyes, Suigetsu moved from his chair to the side of the bed, sighing, "I thought we'd finished with this already."

"You try waking up and realizing that a child was just ripped from your womb! I didn't _get_ any time to mentally prepare myself!"

The curtain pulled back; a tired, tousled looking woman stared at them pleadingly. "Could you two try keeping it down? I just got my baby to sleep."

"Don't tell _me_ to be quiet!" Karin snapped, jolting upright. Instantly, she realized the stupidity of her action, slumping back with a pained yelp. Groaning (this was getting ridiculous), she turned to Suigetsu and asked, "Could I get some painkillers or something?"

"Oh, c'mon – a ninja should be able to handle pain better than that!"

"Only because it's life or death! I don't have that kind of adrenaline to keep me going right now!"

Sighing, he reached for something at her bedside, saying, "Fine, fine, I'll buzz the nurse."

As he did that, she sunk further into her pillows, closing her eyes and exhaling heavily (making her stitches twinge painfully in the process). Her mind was still reeling – a lot had happened in the short time she was out, too much to deal with all at once. The time until her due date had seemed so long – almost a whole month to relax and think and brace herself for the sudden but inevitable realization that, "Shit! I'm a _mom!_"

And with that snap of a finger (or mentally unstable murderer), that time vanished.

Trying to shake the depressing (frightening, more like it) thoughts from her mind, she grasped for a new topic of conversation to distract her. It sprung from her tongue without much thought. "How's Juugo?"

Easing himself onto the edge of her bed, Suigetsu nodded and said, "Good. Sakura had to give him some sorta special treatment over in the Psych Ward, but she says he should be fine for now. Just needs to learn better self-control methods or something."

"That's good, I guess," she said, mind flicking back to the terrifying event and filling in more missing details. "He sounded pretty worried."

Frowning, he paused thoughtfully before shaking his head and saying, "No, actually, he didn't say anything. He just sorta sat there and... _stared_."

"But... Who was trying to shake me awake, then?"

Shrugging, he shifted his position, staring at the opposite wall. He picked at his fingernails, gaze occasionally darting over to her as he chewed at the inside of his lip. "I-I dunno. It was pretty chaotic, so I couldn't really see anything. I was busy... keeping Juugo restrained. Yeah."

Whether from exhaustion or kindness, Karin chose not to pester him about the obvious lie. She had gotten her answer; no point making more work for herself.

Though, it was intriguing. Suigetsu, showing concern? For _her?_

... Probably because of the baby. Yeah, that made more sense.

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, I'm basing Karin's pain from the C-section on the time my brother had appendicitis. I've never personally experienced something like that, so, uhh... yeah. Sorry if it's inaccurate. _

_Still not sure how many chapters are left of this thing._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	33. Chapter 33

"Some light painkillers, should help with the pain from your stitches," Sakura explained, helping Karin sit up. She had just given her the aforementioned pills. "You should be careful for the next little while – no heavy lifting or vacuuming or hard reaching or anything like that."

"How'm I," Karin grunted, wincing at the pain knifing through her lower abdomen as she forced herself upright, "supposed to take care of a baby if I can't _lift_ anything?"

"We can help with that!" Naruto, her newest guest, volunteered with a broad smile, slinging an arm around Suigetsu's neck.

"What about breast feeding?"

"What about it?" the first-time father asked, shrugging away his friend's arm.

"Well, the baby won't build antibodies if she doesn't drink breast milk."

"You could get a pump," Sakura suggested, sitting on the chair beside the bed. "It's uncomfortable, but it gets the job done. Plus, the milk will only give her antibodies for the first two weeks."

Wrinkling her nose, Karin whined, "Ugh, why does this stuff have to be all weird and complicated?"

"You'll get used to it," Sakura said, smiling reassuringly. The criminal mother was tempted to snap, _'Easy for you to say!'_, but decided against it. The girl had given her nice, soothing drugs, after all. "I can't wait until you see your daughter – she's so cute!"

The painkillers were starting to kick in just then, muting the ache of her abdomen and twisting her thoughts in confused, unpredictable directions. The baby, in her mind, was a miniature version of Suigetsu, sharp-toothed and liquid-bodied with flaming red hair like her. She imagined that, while she was incapacitated by her stitches, Naruto fed the newborn a diet of ramen broth and that it turned into a puddle (quite literary) when she tried to hold it. It would probably be a biter, too. What had Suigetsu named it, anyway? Probably Karigetsu or something stupid.

"Where is she?" Karin asked, feeling cheerful despite her worried thoughts. It was nice, being able to sit up and not have a screaming baby at her bedside. "What'dya name her?"

"I already told you," Suigetsu said, leaning against the wall opposite her bed with his arms crossed, "she's in an incubator. And I thought you wanted to wait to know the name."

She waved a hand dismissively. "Pfft. I can handle a silly name!" At the same time, she realized it wouldn't be long until she _did_ have to deal with bedside crying. Damn – she was enjoying the quiet. Did babies come with off buttons? That would certainly make things-

"Komyoko."

"Huh?" she blinked, startled from her thoughts. What were they talking about again...?

"The kid, I named her Komyoko," he elaborated, raising an eyebrow. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Kom-yo-ko...," she murmured, trying it out. It actually wasn't insane or stupid – it was kind of nice. "Why'd you choose that?"

Shrugging, he attempted to look nonchalant (though, the upward twitch of his lips and look in his eyes showed he was actually elated that his name choice went over well). "I dunno; I just liked it. I was thinking of naming her Suito, but...." At her horrified expression, he grinned widely. "I figured you'd hate it."

"That's the stupidest name I've ever heard!" she shrieked, mind going into overdrive at the possibilities the name implied. _Suito?_ What was he gonna do, drink out of her when he went for a jog?

Nudging Suigetsu in the side, Naruto snickered and said, "I would've kept that name. Then I could name her little brother Shiru or something."

Brother? What brother? She didn't give birth to twins, did she? Suddenly, she found herself imagining _two_ mini-Suigetsus running around and wreaking havoc. But that couldn't be possible, could it? Something like that should've been noticed during her check-ups with Sakura.

"Don't worry," the pink-haired nurse in question said, apparently sensing Karin's train of thought, "there's only one baby. I definitely would've told you if there was going to be two."

"Good," she sighed, sinking back onto her pillows. All that thinking and worrying was making her head hurt. Maybe she needed more painkillers. Could painkillers actually affect a person's brain? Maybe it would be best if she just went to sleep.... Yes, that was definitely an appealing option.

"Come on, guys," she was dimly aware of Sakura saying, quickly and quietly ushering the two men out, "let the poor girl get some rest."

* * *

Author's Notes: _'Kay, so, I'm completely basing Karin's reactions to painkillers off my mom, my brother, and my dad - I've never been on them before, so sorry if things are unrealistic. _

_Anyway, I should probably translate the names so you know what the big fuss is about. Komyo = 'subtle, crafty', while -ko is a suffix added to girls' names meaning 'child' (as far as I know, anyway). Suito = 'water bottle', while Shiru = 'juice'. All names were thought up by flipping through my Japanese-to-English dictionary, so I can't guarantee accuracy and/or suitability._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


	34. Chapter 34

"And here she is!" Suigetsu announced, gesturing dramatically to one of the incubators with a wide grin.

Gingerly, Karin inched forward, wincing at the muddled stabs of pain she felt despite her painkillers. Peeking into the heated box, she examined the tiny human, trying to decide if it was normal or not. It had a sparse mess of red hair and pale skin, and there didn't appear to be any watery or fishlike features.

"Sakura says my mutations don't carry over to children very well," he said, also looking in at their daughter.

Daughter. Suigetsu's daughter. Her daughter. _Both_ their daughter.... It was definitely a hard concept to wrap her head around. The drugs didn't seem to help matters, except maybe for mellowing her out.

"So, she'll look just like me?"

"For the most part. She'll still get, like, behavioural traits and bone structure from me, I think."

Studying the baby for another moment, she said, "I think she has your chin, then. It looks hideous."

"No, that's definitely yours," he disagreed, smirking. "So's the nose."

"I do _not_ have a deformed chin! And _you're_ the one with the weird nose, not me."

"Fine. But when we get home, I'm getting everyone to compare our chins and noses."

"Should we get ready to throw a house-warming party, then?"

Turning, the pair saw Sakura standing in the doorway, lips smiling and arm linked with Sasuke's.

Shrugging, Suigetsu turned back to Komyoko. "Depends how much longer we have to stay here."

"It shouldn't be too long," she said, releasing her boyfriend's arm and approaching the new parents. Peeking into the incubator, she continued, "Karin and Komyoko are both healthy. A few more days and you're home free."

"Good," Karin sighed, allowing herself to sag with relief. "I'm tired of hospital food and weird nurses coming to check on me. All they ever do is tell stories about the birth and other babies."

Sasuke, who had moved to join them beside the incubator, glanced at her with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Are you going to be that impatient with Komyoko?"

"See, the difference there is I actually have control over her – if she's whining because she's hungry, I feed her. If she's whining to be annoying, I tell her to shut up and go to her room. Can't do that with a nurse."

"You've got a point," Suigetsu said, nodding while he continued to watch the sleeping infant. "Though, I think you may have to wait a few years on the 'shut up and go to your room' thing."

"That's fine," she said, shrugging. Then, glancing toward Sakura, she added, "Babies spend most of their time sleeping anyway, right?"

"Yeah. It's getting them to sleep when you _want_ them to that's the hard part."

"Oh, that's no big deal – Suigetsu can handle the midnight crying."

With a wordless cry of protest, he opened his mouth to argue, then paused, seeming to reconsider. Grinning slyly, he instead said, "Alright, deal. _But_, you have to handle diaper-duty."

"Wha-? Ew! No!"

"C'mon, fair's fair."

Sighing, Sasuke pinched the ridge of his nose, murmuring to Sakura, "I think we're the ones who'll be losing sleep."

"That's... definitely a possibility," she murmured in return, laughing nervously.

XxXx

By the end of the week, both Karin and Komyoko were ready to return home. The mother's stitches had been removed, and she was healing quite nicely (something that made Sakura insist she try breast feeding), and Komyoko didn't seem frightened by anyone in the odd little family.

It was as they headed home to the apartment that Karin realized one crucial detail – they didn't have any baby-care products. Not even a crib or diapers.

When she mentioned this, Naruto (unsurprisingly) was the first to volunteer his services.

"That's... probably not the best idea," Sakura said, grabbing her friend by the shoulder before he could rush off. "I'll go with you, since you have no idea what to look for."

"And what are we supposed to do while you're gone?" Suigetsu asked.

"Take care of Komyoko and keep her happy with what we already have at the apartment."

"Easier said than done," he grumbled, too late to be heard as Sakura and Naruto rushed off in the opposite direction.

XxXx

Twenty minutes later, Karin sat on the couch breast feeding the baby (one of the many things Sakura had instructed her on). Juugo and Sasuke were in their respective rooms, while Suigetsu sat at the kitchen tables, drumming his fingers on the wooden surface.

"How long does it take to get stuff for baby?" he grumbled. "She couldn't need _that_ much."

Karin snorted. "Trust me, there's a lot. She gave me a whole list."

"Who? Komyoko?"

"No, idiot – Sakura!" Then, frowning, she asked, "Why are you out here, anyway? Don't I deserve a little privacy?"

"Someone needs to open the door when they get back, which I imagine would be difficult with someone hanging off your chest. Plus, I don't want to interrupt Sasuke's brooding time."

"I don't think he broods much anymore," she snickered. "He's too busy daydreaming about Sakura. I bet he secretly has papers with 'Haruno Sasuke' written all over them."

Both of them shared a good laugh over that (which did not please Komyoko, who had been jostled from her feeding place as a result). They managed to stifle their laughter when the infant started crying, though their wide grins remained in place.

As the redhead readjusted the infant, Suigetsu watched silently for a minute, thinking.

"...That must've been hard on you."

"What?"

"Sasuke and Sakura. I know you liked him, so don't bother denying it."

She sighed, rubbing at her eyes (her glasses were sitting on the coffee table, out of the baby's reach. She didn't care what anyone said – she wasn't risking another broken pair). Was it really worth the effort explaining things to him? It would probably just get her mocked even more....

"I talked to him about it the other day," she admitted quietly. If Suigetsu didn't want to listen, he didn't have to. "He said Sakura's suffered a lot because of him and I deserve better."

Silence greeted her. Which seemed pretty predictable, since this was _Suigetsu_ she was talking to and he-

"Have you found someone yet?"

It took a moment for her realize what he was talking about. "I-" she glanced around the apartment, thought about her friends, her sudden family. "No.... I think I'll be fine."

Still seated at the table, he focused a sidelong stare on the back of her head. Lately, he had been experiencing unusual feelings and thoughts toward her, ones that made him wonder if Naruto had been right that day in the ramen shop. Now was one of those times.

"Well... don't stop looking, okay?" he said, then immediately resisted the urge to smack his head off the table. _What the hell was that?_ Weren't ninjas supposed to be trained in the art of subtlety?

With a smile (maybe he _had _been worried about her when Juugo attacked. Maybe he wasn't as bad as she had thought), she said, "I'll be sure to keep my eyes peeled."

Then Sakura and Naruto were bursting through the door, so loud that Suigetsu had to tell them to shut up before they woke Juugo or Komyoko a heart attack.

While everyone was bustling about the apartment, trying their hardest to be quiet while arguing over where to put things ("A crib in the _living room?_ Are you crazy?"), Karin sat in the middle of it all with a broad smile.

"Welcome to the family," she whispered to her daughter.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Finall! I finished! =D This fic turned out a lot differently than I expected (though, I didn't actually _plan_ anything, so that's not so surprising), but I'm reasonably happy with it overall. Thanks so much for all the reviews and feedback everyone gave me - I really appreciate it! _

_Hopefully you enjoy this last chapter as much as all the others. =D_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters. **


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